Saturday, September 4, 2010

Summer School



“Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.” ~Henry L. Doherty

When I look back at the summer of 2010, I will remember a time when I learned several things. I believe that we are never too old for learning and that changing from lessons learned is a part of what keeps us alive inside.

The time I spent with my husband this summer has taught me that couples must not forget each other. After the kids are grown and gone, the love and passion that sparked the relationship must remain. I learned this from long bike rides with my husband, when we counted the deer and bunnies on country roads. And from the long summer evenings when we sat on our front porch swing and listened to the rain while making plans for our future. I’ve learned just how much I love my husband, my best friend.

I’ve spent time with young people this summer who have taught me about play and imagination. Watching my little sister and my daughter play house and shopping just like grown-ups has reminded me that children have huge imaginations; but their play, conversation, and habits are imitations of what they see and hear from the real adults in their lives.

I’ve learned a thing or two about joy. My pastor reminded me of three things that are likely to rob a Christian of his or her joy. They are: circumstances, things, and people. Who knows why people want to rob others of joy. It’s a question to which the answer eludes me. Maybe it’s because of jealousy or because they want to see us fail. People love to try to shake the confidence that a well-grounded and well-prepared person has in himself. The truth is, ninety nine people can tell us something positive, but one can be that person who always has something hurtful to say, bringing a cloud of negativity wherever he goes. I’ve learned to try hard to make it a point to be counted in the ninety nine, not the one.

Lastly, I’ve spent precious time with grandparents who are growing older and their time in this world is becoming shorter. My daddy always says, “The best thing you can spend on your children is time.” He always spent time with me, and in that time I watched him care for elderly people in our lives, some of whom were not even kin to us. Now it’s my turn to help care for others and I’ve learned that time is the best thing we can spend on anyone we love. Time is one thing I can give and not mess up or regret. Sometimes it’s hard to care for elderly loved ones…there are good days and bad. I could shut myself away and pretend that things are the way they’ve always been, or I can be there as much as possible. One thing’s for sure: if I’m not there, I miss the good days. I miss the times when there is a smile or a laugh; a hint of the person I knew as a child. And if I miss the good days, I have fewer positive memories to help me through the bad days.

I have enjoyed the time I spent with my grandparents over the summer. They are the pieces of who I am today and the links to a past that represents strength and courage. I am learning that growing older affects even the young, and while there is nothing that can stop it, I can give my time, my prayers, and my love. These are three things that any person deserves to be surrounded with, no matter his or her age.