This post was started a year ago, just finishing it up now, so that is why for those who know my son's age it won't line up perfectly.
My son is 12 years old, teetering between childhood and young adulthood. Along with this transition comes the Peter Pan heart; the pain of saying goodbye to the care-free life. The life of no worries, few responsibilities and less pain. As we discussed this, I told him how excited I was for him to enter the next stages of his life. What lies ahead for him are a myriad of hellos. There are so many hellos in my life that I would never have experienced if I had stayed put in my childhood youth. Hellos to my spouse, to my two precious children, to my beautiful friends, to my precious niece-in-law, and hopefully someday to my future daughter/son-in laws, and future grandchildren. These are the precious hellos that despite the pain of life enriches me beyond measure.
As I spoke these words to my son, I knew he couldn't comprehend what I was saying because he was looking at the past and feeling the emotions of the present. The future didn't have the weight of influence on his heart and mind. But for me, I knew that from where I stood, the joy of life and love that is still in store for him was worth the pain of growing older.
I do wonder, as Jesus shared with his disciples the future He was going to prepare for them, if felt His words contained that truth they could not fathom. Or when Paul says, the troubles of this life are nothing compared to our future glory.
I have tried to find a way to live a pain-free life and I have given up. I have experienced deep sorrows and I know that the futuremay will have more. But I am realizing that I can cry those tears and share that pain with God, because He truly does care. On the flip side, I have experienced great joy, unspeakable joys. So now as a parent, I have a different perspective on these words of Jesus and Paul. They were offering what they knew to be true, experienced as truth, and knew that resting in that truth gave the ability to walk through the darkest nights: these hellos do not end, which is the beauty of the resurrection and the hope we have in Christ.
My prayer is that all the hellos of the future, despite which side of heaven they occur on, will bring give you strength to carry on.
In Christ,
My son is 12 years old, teetering between childhood and young adulthood. Along with this transition comes the Peter Pan heart; the pain of saying goodbye to the care-free life. The life of no worries, few responsibilities and less pain. As we discussed this, I told him how excited I was for him to enter the next stages of his life. What lies ahead for him are a myriad of hellos. There are so many hellos in my life that I would never have experienced if I had stayed put in my childhood youth. Hellos to my spouse, to my two precious children, to my beautiful friends, to my precious niece-in-law, and hopefully someday to my future daughter/son-in laws, and future grandchildren. These are the precious hellos that despite the pain of life enriches me beyond measure.
As I spoke these words to my son, I knew he couldn't comprehend what I was saying because he was looking at the past and feeling the emotions of the present. The future didn't have the weight of influence on his heart and mind. But for me, I knew that from where I stood, the joy of life and love that is still in store for him was worth the pain of growing older.
I do wonder, as Jesus shared with his disciples the future He was going to prepare for them, if felt His words contained that truth they could not fathom. Or when Paul says, the troubles of this life are nothing compared to our future glory.
I have tried to find a way to live a pain-free life and I have given up. I have experienced deep sorrows and I know that the future
My prayer is that all the hellos of the future, despite which side of heaven they occur on, will bring give you strength to carry on.
In Christ,
No comments:
Post a Comment