Love Begets Love让爱生爱

I arrived late one night, on a business trip, so I decided to have dinner in the hotel. As I was finishing my meal, an older couple came in to dine. They were holding hands and had lovely smiles on their faces. They sat three tables from me. I was amazed at the love they showed for one another. It seemed to strike home, all the more, because this was shortly after ending a 20-year marriage and I still had pain in my heart.[1]

My waiter was also their waiter. As I paid my bill, I inquired as to what their bill was, he informed me, and I gave him the $40 to pay their tab[2]. He asked if I knew them and I told him, “No, I just wanted to repay them for the love that they were showing to each other,” and then I departed.

The next day, my business meeting ended two hours before the flight back to Houston[3]. I entered the restaurant to dine prior to my departure. After I had been seated, the waiter from the night before came up to my table. The waiter said the strangest thing happened after I left the restaurant.

When the older couple went to pay for their meal, they were informed that another guest had paid for it. When they inquired as to whom it was, the hostess told them they had never seen me before, and that I had said, “I just wanted to pay them back for the love that they were showing towards each other” and that I had then left the restaurant.

The couple were amazed, they looked around, and asked for the bill of two young couples, who were seated together (in their 20’s or 30’s), paid their bill and departed saying “Love begets Love” to the amazement of the hostess and waiter.

I smiled and said, “That’s nice,” and proceeded to order my meal.

About 45 minutes later, I had finished my meal and was getting ready to head out to the airport, my waiter was no where to be found. I waited and waited and finally walked over to the hostess stand and explained that I needed to pay for my meal and hurry and get to the airport. She smiled and explained that I would not have to pay for my meal.

The waiter and she felt compelled to pay my bill, she said, due to the joy that was brought to the faces of the elderly couple and the amazement of the young couples from the night before.

When I told her that they didn’t have to do that she said with a smile “Love begets Love.”