Another Birthday
Another Day Along the Way
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Another day,
He has chosen a variety of numbers when playing sports. His football, basketball and baseball jerseys provided an 11 or a six or a 64 or a one. Today his life wears a number that gives his parents a shake. Our middle son Aaron turns 18 today. Eighteen.
Isn't it too soon for that to be his number?
I asked Debbie how she feels about our middle-son's eighteenth birthday. She said, "I feel he is slipping away. Everything went by so fast." What is difficult for her? "It is hard to think of him leaving." What does she remember about his younger years? "So much. He had a big smile. I remember his first goal in his first basketball game when he ran over to me in the stands during the middle of the game, kissed me and said, 'I love you.' Then he raced down the court to play defense. I think about Aaron catching the baseball and getting excited, and about him hitting the ball and sliding into home. Wearing cowboy boots. Him being in plays at church. I remember so much. He's just grown up too fast."
Like we did with each of our three sons, we named Aaron Wesley Maxwell after a biblical character and a historical leader of our beliefs. Now, as is happening with each of our sons, he is racing down the court and becoming a man. And, like each of us, he is shaping his own history.
Shirt sizes and shoe sizes. Food and music and hair and phrases: styles, preferences, trends. Laughter and tears. Conversations and silence. Christmas seasons of the past. Christmas seasons of the now. Christmas seasons of the future. The child. The teen. The man.
People change quickly. We age, hardly recalling what has occurred during the transition, the transformation.
We wish Aaron a happy birthday just 10 days before a Merry Christmas. We wish him a future of joy, health, and passion for God. We just wish he didn't grow so old so hastily.
As I've written often, I ask this question again: "Why are we all in such a hurry?" We could blame it all on the speed of time, but we shouldn't. Rather than placing blame, we can decide to apply three words I frequently use. Enjoy the journey.
While rushing through the 16 remaining days of December, while buying gifts and digesting calories, while hurrying here and racing there, while boarding planes and opening presents, while wearing coats and hearing carols, let us enjoy this.
Let sadness be replaced with gladness. Let anger be thrown away as forgiveness takes its place. Let self-talk sing songs to us about birthdays and laughter and peace and angels. Let us see a son growing up too quickly and remember how our Heavenly Father felt as He watched His son grow up and die for all sons and daughters.
I loved watching The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I love the seasonal songs. I plan to love some chilly air. Though so much of the commercial extravaganza bothers me during this month, I refuse to let the bad rob me of joy. Let us all love this life of walking through closets and entering new land, this world of winters finally enjoying Christmas, this world of rushing through time.
As we love it, let us pause. Watching our Aarons ride life's sleighs over the rivers and through the woods, let us see as much as we can. And let us enjoy this life. Let us enjoy those riding.
Debbie and I sure do enjoy Aaron. Even though he is riding too fast.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.
(C. S. Lewis)
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Another day,
He has chosen a variety of numbers when playing sports. His football, basketball and baseball jerseys provided an 11 or a six or a 64 or a one. Today his life wears a number that gives his parents a shake. Our middle son Aaron turns 18 today. Eighteen.
Isn't it too soon for that to be his number?
I asked Debbie how she feels about our middle-son's eighteenth birthday. She said, "I feel he is slipping away. Everything went by so fast." What is difficult for her? "It is hard to think of him leaving." What does she remember about his younger years? "So much. He had a big smile. I remember his first goal in his first basketball game when he ran over to me in the stands during the middle of the game, kissed me and said, 'I love you.' Then he raced down the court to play defense. I think about Aaron catching the baseball and getting excited, and about him hitting the ball and sliding into home. Wearing cowboy boots. Him being in plays at church. I remember so much. He's just grown up too fast."
Like we did with each of our three sons, we named Aaron Wesley Maxwell after a biblical character and a historical leader of our beliefs. Now, as is happening with each of our sons, he is racing down the court and becoming a man. And, like each of us, he is shaping his own history.
Shirt sizes and shoe sizes. Food and music and hair and phrases: styles, preferences, trends. Laughter and tears. Conversations and silence. Christmas seasons of the past. Christmas seasons of the now. Christmas seasons of the future. The child. The teen. The man.
People change quickly. We age, hardly recalling what has occurred during the transition, the transformation.
We wish Aaron a happy birthday just 10 days before a Merry Christmas. We wish him a future of joy, health, and passion for God. We just wish he didn't grow so old so hastily.
As I've written often, I ask this question again: "Why are we all in such a hurry?" We could blame it all on the speed of time, but we shouldn't. Rather than placing blame, we can decide to apply three words I frequently use. Enjoy the journey.
While rushing through the 16 remaining days of December, while buying gifts and digesting calories, while hurrying here and racing there, while boarding planes and opening presents, while wearing coats and hearing carols, let us enjoy this.
Let sadness be replaced with gladness. Let anger be thrown away as forgiveness takes its place. Let self-talk sing songs to us about birthdays and laughter and peace and angels. Let us see a son growing up too quickly and remember how our Heavenly Father felt as He watched His son grow up and die for all sons and daughters.
I loved watching The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I love the seasonal songs. I plan to love some chilly air. Though so much of the commercial extravaganza bothers me during this month, I refuse to let the bad rob me of joy. Let us all love this life of walking through closets and entering new land, this world of winters finally enjoying Christmas, this world of rushing through time.
As we love it, let us pause. Watching our Aarons ride life's sleighs over the rivers and through the woods, let us see as much as we can. And let us enjoy this life. Let us enjoy those riding.
Debbie and I sure do enjoy Aaron. Even though he is riding too fast.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.
(C. S. Lewis)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment