You never know when you’re making a memory.
– Rickie Lee Jones
Picture Credit: Darren Livingston
Have you been down “memory lane” lately?
This past weekend provided me a lot of opportunity to remember.
Memory is vital to personal growth … memory is our ability to retain information or knowledge from past events or experiences; that capacity to recollect and retrieve information.
Last Friday, Rita and I returned to my hometown of Neodesha, Kansas. (Don’t worry, very few have heard of Neodesha.)
Some things have changed: the grade school and high school I attended have been replaced; there’s a new $2.1 million dollar swimming pool and a new ball park covers the old public swimming pool. There are vacant lots where small frame houses once stood; demolished after the last flood or just because it was time.
By mid-afternoon we loaded up to explore familiar stories and paths…
…the Mill Creek Street Bridge, where my friend Rick Elkins and I slid into the icy cold river when the ice gave way
…North on 8th Street past the brick-lined ditch, the scene where I was thrown from a horse; after a trip to emergency room and no broken bones, I came out with a “Zorro” mark on my left arm, then the
…the neighborhoods where we played and rode our bikes, back in the day when we were free to explore and roam.
What an entertaining excursion down memory lane.
My parents, James and Vivian Laswell, live in what was once my grandparent’s home. My dad’s birthday is March 26; we were able to convince him to go out for dinner to celebrate #82. Dad believes a home cooked meal is the best meal AND the best value!
Yes, the trip provided me plenty of evidence, time is slipping away.
The next day we headed north for Wichita, Kansas. Pam is a member of our extended family, it was her special day. We gave the gift of our presence and enjoyed re-connecting with family and friends at her wedding and reception.
(Things sure have changed since our three daughter’s weddings. Note: future Father of the Bride – here’s some good news: it appears expectations are becoming more “reasonable” regarding what makes a great wedding day.)
Participating in their wedding sparked my recollection of Sunday, September 12, 1976. To this day, my gratitude for God’s gift of Rita and our story of 35+ years remains; “…for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health, so long as we both shall live.”
My weekend trip down memory lane has me continue the conversation of my past two blogs…may I invite you to reflect on life and how you think about time?
To summarize the key points –
- Live today: we don’t know what will happen tomorrow
- Lighten up: we’re not really in control
- Value the moment: life vanishes quickly
- Slow down: time doesn’t fly, we do
- Learn to say “No”: we’re responsible
Now, let’s add one more thought to this matter of life and time.
What’s your posthumous impression?
Have you noticed how much time and energy can go into managing one’s image? In fact, the bigger the stage or ego the greater the effort required … or so it seems.
There is an impression retained by others after our earthly life is over; the “posthumous impression”.
How do we make a great posthumous impression when by definition, we’re no longer present to manage it? Let me state the obvious: our posthumous impression is predetermined by how we live today.
When we live in the present… lighten up… value the moment… slow the pace… and learn to say “no”, our ability to remember and our memories may improve.
Live well this day then how you’ll be remember will take care of itself.
Mother Teresa reminds us of time’s reality, may we choose wisely…
Yesterday is gone.
Tomorrow has not yet come.
We have only today.
Let us begin.
When will you make a trip down “memory lane”?
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