Here we are in March. I am not sure what happened to January or February. Both seemed to fly by. As a child it seemed as though time went on forever. Those four hours of waiting for that moment when my friend would finally come over to spend the night. As soon as our mothers agreed my life became filled with such glorious anticipation that at times I would stare at the clock and count the seconds. By the time the fours hours were up it felt as though a lifetime had passed. Those six hours of school each day… an eternity. Driving the hour to visit family on the holidays… “Are we ever going to get there?” Waiting in lines, waiting at the doctor’s office, or waiting at all always seemed to take at least 8 times as long as my mother claimed we had waited.
I remember as a child when my elders would tell me to enjoy my youth because it would be gone soon enough. As everything took an eternity I was not concerned. I remember as a child when my elders would tell me that as I aged time would go faster. Since even as a youngster I had a pretty good handle on the rules of physics I paid no attention. However here I find myself, older than a youngster but too young to be an elder, discovering that indeed time has accelerated.
I suppose that as each day of life passes I have another day of memory. Now my collective memory is much longer than it was when I was 14. Now one day in the big scheme of my life is much shorter over all than one day was when I was younger. One hour passes by quickly whereas yesterday one hour could be forever.
I am now old enough to heed the advice of my elders and to enjoy what youth I have left, for soon enough it will pass away. I am also young enough to realize that those younger, who have not yet discovered this wisdom ,will not benefit from me trying to force it upon them, it is something they will discover on their own and realize, as I have realized, that others were right all along.
But in the midst of all of this as I watch my child age faster than I could have ever imagined, as my life accelerates into the future and I wonder where the days have gone, as I try to hold onto moments which quickly become memories I have one thing I want to share with everyone. If you remember nothing else I ever say remember this, enjoy each moment of your life! It is precious because it is the only moment you are in. It is precious because it is always the closest you will be to God. It is precious because you may never have another. It is precious because you have no idea when those around you will disappear into eternity. Since each moment is precious each moment can be enjoyed for we shall never have another moment like the one we are in right now.
We celebrated our 160th Anniversary recently, what a spectacular moment it was for me. I got to teach a class about Presbyterianism before the service, it was the first time I ever taught such a class, I will never have that first time again. I was blessed to baptize a child of God during the service; she will never be baptized again. I shared memories with you all about a church that will never be 160 years old again. I married a couple and no one will ever experience a wedding like theirs again. People asked me if I was ready for a nap at the end of the day… I was, but I enjoyed each moment of that day because I will never have a day like it again. Today I am going to enjoy each moment too, because I will never have a day like it again. Today I am going to enjoy my son even when he cries because someday he will not cry as a baby ever again. Today I am going to enjoy each book I read because I may never read that book again. Today I am going to relish each time my wife tells me she loves me because I love to hear it. Today I am going to enjoy all of life’s moments, even the bad ones, with the smile God has given me to use, because God will be with me in each moment and that is the most precious gift I know.
Riding the wave of the Holy Spirit,
Garrett
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