Lasts....

Been thinkin' and contemplatin'....I know dangerous huh?! ;)

 I read an article the other day entitled "How to See What's Right in front of you" by Gordon Atkinson. Gordon has young children. He has a friend whose daughter is in college and he asked his friend what he would give to have his daughter as a five-year-old again for one day. Just so she could throw herself into his arms, call him Daddy, and sit on his lap. His friend's response .........He closed his eyes and sighed. “You can’t know what that is worth, Gordon, until it’s gone.”  We have some good friends at church who are in their 70's. The wife asked her husband the question "When you look back on your life what season, so far, was your favorite" His answer...."when the kids were little and at home". I know my Dad has said the same.

There are blessings to every season of life! Yes, indeed! When I was in highschool I was told "enjoy these years, Wendy, they are some of the best years of your life." I like to think that I listened, but I didn't really "know". I tell my own children that now, but they don't really "know" either. You can't "know" until you are on the other side looking back. I love to watch those movies where they are able to do that....look back at the past from the future! And then go back to the past and do things differently based on what you learned from the future. Did that make sense?! lol. Folks are telling me that I am in the midst of some of the best years of my life....my kids are home under our roof. I believe them! I don't "know" because I am not on the other side of it yet, but I believe them!! I think, at 45, I listen to things like this a tad bit better than I did at 17. ;) I'm attempting to savor these moments with the kids because it will be gone before I know it! I want to be able to look back with a smile and a knowledge that I did indeed bask in the moments with them!

We celebrate "firsts" all the time.
first smile
first tooth
first step
first day of school
first pet
first dance
first car
etc. etc. etc.

I'm reading books by Karen Kingsbury this summer. Awesome author. In one of the books she points out "lasts". We celebrate "firsts", but "lasts" just kind of happen without us realizing it...and they are gone. Heidi runs throughout the summer to stay in shape for cross country, which begins in the fall. We do not allow her to run these back roads alone. So, this summer I have been going along on my bike. Last night on our run/bike I was thinking about "lasts". When I was in school I did the same thing. I ran and my Dad followed me in his little lime green vw rabbit. Good times. Fond memories! :) Often I would get up before dark and he would follow me lighting the way with his headlights. We did this MANY times! But, guess what? I don't remember our "last" run together. It happened without us realizing it. It wasn't celebrated like a "first". One day I set out on a run. My Dad followed me in his little lime green vw rabbit like he did so many many other mornings. And, it never happened again. It was a "last". It became a memory....a good memory. One day Heidi and I will go on our "last" run together. We will not realize it at the time. But, it will be a "last". It will become something stored in our memory banks forever.

In whatever season of life you are in savor the moments....bask in them....because you never know you could be living a "last" today.  A "last" that you will look back on and "know" for certain someday that these were some of the best days of your life!

Love,
Wendy