Time Is
One of my oldest and therefore, dearest friends buried her mother yesterday afternoon. It was not at all what a 29 year old woman should be doing on a Saturday afternoon, or any day for that matter. She was especially close to her mom - calling her regularly, driving from Alabama to visit, and going clothes shopping with her often. Her mother was ill for a while; fighting a specific kind of cancer with radiation and surgery. It finally won; shutting down her kidneys and causing her much suffering. It was her decision to stop treatment. She went rather quickly; it took only a few days. My friend was with her mother the entire time, even at her last breath. She described it as "perfect" and "exactly the way she wanted it."
My mom once said that everyone should attend a wedding and a funeral at least once a year in order to keep life in perspective. Well, if you include the fact that I've held my friend's newborn baby, I think I'm done for this year. These significant life events certainly do make me think of how precious time is on this earth. Days disappear without me even realizing the treasure that had been mine. With each year, people come in and out of my live without so much as a thought to their importance - relationships start and end, co-workers come and go, friends appear and move on. With each fleeting day my life either become richer or poorer because of what I invest or chose not to invest. The passing of time calls us all to move forward, often with the hope of happiness but also at the risk of hurt and pain.
A year ago my friend never would have thought that she'd be standing over her mother's casket. Then again, another friend of mine could never have imagined a year ago the joy she experiences when she holds her baby daughter. And for the happy newly-weds, I guess it is a wonderful surprise after many years of waiting to finally be with the one who makes everyday more beautiful than the day before.
"Time is...
Too slow for those who wait,
Too swift for those who fear,
Too long for those who grieve,
Too short for those who rejoice,
But for those who love,
Time is eternity."
(a poem by Henry van Dyke, American author and clergyman 1852 - 1933)
My mom once said that everyone should attend a wedding and a funeral at least once a year in order to keep life in perspective. Well, if you include the fact that I've held my friend's newborn baby, I think I'm done for this year. These significant life events certainly do make me think of how precious time is on this earth. Days disappear without me even realizing the treasure that had been mine. With each year, people come in and out of my live without so much as a thought to their importance - relationships start and end, co-workers come and go, friends appear and move on. With each fleeting day my life either become richer or poorer because of what I invest or chose not to invest. The passing of time calls us all to move forward, often with the hope of happiness but also at the risk of hurt and pain.
A year ago my friend never would have thought that she'd be standing over her mother's casket. Then again, another friend of mine could never have imagined a year ago the joy she experiences when she holds her baby daughter. And for the happy newly-weds, I guess it is a wonderful surprise after many years of waiting to finally be with the one who makes everyday more beautiful than the day before.
"Time is...
Too slow for those who wait,
Too swift for those who fear,
Too long for those who grieve,
Too short for those who rejoice,
But for those who love,
Time is eternity."
(a poem by Henry van Dyke, American author and clergyman 1852 - 1933)
Good thoughts. Thanks for the post.
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