If you know me...really know me...you know that music is a HUGE part of my life. I can relate a song to each part of my life. Each moment. Each minute. I am surrounded by music. At home I would rather put on the music channel then watch any show. Going to concerts is the ultimate for me. I love feeling the kick drum in my chest...the moment that the lights go out and the band makes its way to the stage...music takes you places.
This past weekend I was cutting grass and was completely engulfed in my I-Tunes (yes, singing to the top of my lungs) when all of a sudden a song came on, "Timing Is Everything". I became almost numb. I have heard this song a hundred times but in this moment it brought new meaning. I am not sure if it is due to the fact that things in our lives...our family... have drastically changed. Or maybe it's because as I get older the true meaning of happiness is not found in material things or maybe it has to do with this new journey I have been on this year. Regardless, I started doing some soul searching.
In my last blog I talked about my Maw Maw. Oh...such a sweet soul that I was so blessed and proud to be a part of...I love that woman. I love what she stood for. I love what she engraved in each of us. She was the true meaning of love. But how did this all fall into my lap? How did I get so blessed? How did all of this come about? By chance? Fate? God?
We are put on this path from the day we are born. God gives us a chance at life...a chance to do good and to come back home to Him. He, I don't think, controls our path. He doesn't control the choices we make or the people we chose to have in our lives. That's all on us. We are the ones in control of who we have in our lives. Our environment. The places we go. Things we do. Moments that we share. Chances we take.
My Paw Paw Sarge was in the Marine Corps. He was a good looking man. I never got to meet him but he lives through his children today. Stories, photographs, old documents, and journals. He met my Maw Maw on a bus. The story-a true one-is a true love story. He saw her waiting for the bus. He was already on the bus from a previous stop. He asked all of the people on the bus to move and trade seats so that the only seat left for the beautiful girl getting on was right next to him. They talked the entire trip, wrote letters while he was away, and eventually got married and had 7 babies!
As I was listening to the song I couldn't help but think of this story.
My life would probably not be in existence if this event did not occur. My brothers, nieces, nephews, cousins, nor my aunts and uncles would even be alive either! All because of one decision.
I wonder what he was thinking when he was getting that bus rearranged. I bet he was nervous. I wonder if Maw Maw was hesitant to sit with him...you know the feeling...get in a crowded place and you are forced to sit with someone you don't know. They had no idea the magnitude of life they were having during that bus ride.
Everyday we are faced with this same situation. Maybe not finding the love of our life but we do have encounters that we either shut the door to or we open very wide. Life is all about moments. I am so thankful that God gave us an abundance of memory. We can store all those moments and remember them.
I wish we stepped out of our comfort zone more then we do. Sometimes I feel like we get so comfortable in our little area. Our bubble of life. We don't like "intruders". We don't like change. But that's what life is all about! If Paw Paw Sarge would have just sat there...man...yall wouldn't have this blog to read!!! (gasping!)
I am reminded of the day that my friend, Marisol was riding with me, as she often did to and from school. There had been a new guy at school. We had both seen him. He was like 7 feet tall so I think EVERYONE saw him. But that day was different. It had started raining on us on the way home. We passed a car, then passed a guy walking. Wouldn't you know...it was the new guy. We picked him up and while making conversation about him being new and how his first day went I somehow incorporated him and Marisol going out on a date. They have been together ever since with 2 beautiful girls and a baby on the way.
What if we had driven on passed him? Or what if I never would have inquired about his dating status? Or what if we had taken another route home?
We have to step out. Take chances. Timing is everything. That moment is there and then it is gone.
My mama has recently retired. She was a nurse for many, many, many years. She worked as an orthopedic nurse for years but eventually ended up in hospice-taking care of terminal patients. I have no idea how she encountered death every day and still shined. She has many stories. Moments she witnessed. Some she would share...some she would not. The ones that were inspiring, to me, were the ones where people needed closure. They would cling to life, having not eaten in days, barely breathing but waiting. Waiting on someone or something to be said. Something to be finished. Something to be started. Often mama would tell the family..."If there is ANYTHING you can think of that they may be waiting for-tell them". Sometimes it may have been that person they hadn't spoken to in years. Or they wanted to hear from someone that the family would be taken care of and that it was alright for them to go one to where ever they were headed. But why do these moments have to be at the end?
So what are we afraid of? Why are we so hesitant to step out, rearrange the seats? Why do we wait until the end to tell someone something? Why don't we take more control of our moments?
I am not sure why. We never know how the course would change if we spoke up, asked, told, or even shared.
Zac Brown sings a song, "As She's Walking Away", about a guy that didn't take the plunge and ask a girl out. We all have those "what if" moments. What if this...what if that...everyday.
What if we told people how we felt more? What if we shared moments with them that would last forever? Took time to get to know someone...like really get to know them. It leaves you with wonder. You could change destiny. You could shape the future. Paw Paw Sarge sure did.
I listen to that song now with a different outlook. It makes me cherish things more. I am more appreciative and grateful for how YOU came into my life. Think about that for a moment. How did we meet? How did you get to this blog? Be grateful for where you are, who you have to share it with-but always be looking for new moments, friends. Tell someone how you REALLY feel-even if you do have butterflies. Rearrange some things. Turn around. Timing is everything...
