Chapter Spotlight: Tears of Joy, in “Grow in the Dark” by Amy Love

After meeting Jessica and releasing her frustrations with learning English, Love’s journey in Vancouver took an unexpected turn with the arrival of two vibrant French students. Their presence in the classroom, marked by bright-colored outfits—”one wore a bright orange shirt with light blue jeans, while the other wore a powder-pink top with pristine white pants”—instantly caught her attention, drawing her like a magnet toward new possibilities.

Despite the challenge of understanding their thick French accents, Love took the initiative during breaks to connect with Frank and Serge. “Our enthusiasm to know each other led us to keep trying to communicate with unlimited efforts,” she recalls. Through a combination of broken English and a translating device from Taiwan, they forged a unique friendship that transcends language barriers. “After several attempts, we navigated through words and connected with our limited English ability so that we understood each other but no one else.”

“It felt like magic to me, but I suppose it was because our hearts were wide open, and our curiosity was wildly alive,” Love reflects. This blossoming friendship rekindled her enthusiasm for learning English and exploring Vancouver. “I believe that something greater orchestrated the arrival of these two vibrant, cheerful, and special individuals in my life at a divine and perfect moment—precisely when I needed them the most. Their presence dispelled any feeling of solitude, reminding me that God had not forsaken me despite my distance from home.”

One Saturday morning, an unexpected visit transformed into an unforgettable adventure. “When I swung open the door, I was greeted by the sight of my two dear friends from France,” Love writes. Their surprise appearance and spontaneous invitation to join them filled her with unprecedented joy. “Until that point, I had been navigating my new environment without many friends to call my own, except for Frank and Serge.”

Without hesitation or questioning their plans, Love rushed to prepare herself, determined not to miss this opportunity. “I quickly put on my new baseball cap to save time and ensured my hair looked neat and presentable. Within five minutes, I was ready to race back to the front door.” The significance of this moment wasn’t lost on her: “I never knew someone special and wonderful would want me to be in their company and take me somewhere. This was a big deal to me. For this time in my life, I felt special, and it was all thanks to them.”

The destination proved to be Whistler Blackcomb Mountain, offering Love her first encounter with snow. “Stepping into this pure, pristine, white snow for the first time in my life was remarkable,” she shares. “This was not even in my plan before I came to this country, but surprisingly, they fulfilled a dream of mine—a dream shared by countless Taiwanese individuals. Given our warm climate, experiencing snowfall was impossible back home, driving many to seek destinations where they could relish its beauty.”

In a moment of pure joy, Love created snow angels, embracing this new element with childlike wonder. “With an irrepressible sense of wonder, I laid my entire body onto the icy white snow and outstretched my arms and legs, moving my arms up and down and side to side.” The emotions overwhelmed her: “The emotions that surged within me were beyond the reach of words or any language, a sensation of joy I had never encountered before.” Despite the physical cold, “a profound sense of pure joy enveloped me with warm tears, dissolving any discomfort and leaving me bathed in a comforting warmth that flowed from within.”

Through Frank and Serge, Love also gained a deeper understanding of love itself. Learning about their relationship as a gay couple opened her eyes to new perspectives on human connection. “My interactions with them opened my eyes and mind to a deeper truth that I discovered: the deepest form of love is spiritual. It is beyond and not limited by any form of physical conduction. Their warmth, kindness, and care moved my mind and touched my heart.”

Their friendship became more than just a social connection—it represented divine intervention in Love’s journey. “Their spontaneous invitation was a present from God to generate a new warmth in the depth of my soul,” she reflects. This magical experience, set against the backdrop of Vancouver’s winter landscape, taught her that “True love is beyond physical conditions,” a lesson made unforgettable by genuine friendship, unconditional acceptance, and the pristine beauty of snow.

Experience more heartwarming stories of connection and discovery in “Grow in the Dark” by Amy Love. Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google,  iTunes & Kobo.