You’ll notice that this edition of Modern Grace is titled the Spring Summer special issue, which wasn’t initially the intention. After the spring photoshoot, several of us toiled over whether to put out a spring edition at all, since we were still unsure about when the governor was going to lift the mask mandate. Everywhere we looked, sources gave different answers, from the end of April to the beginning of June. So, we all decided to wait until the middle of April to decide.
Then on April 11, my husband went into emergency surgery, turning my world upside down. Sitting in that empty waiting room at one o’clock in the morning, scared, and alone, praying, I realized, again, just how fleeting life can be. It is a lesson we all learn over and over in life.
We set so many standards, and let too many other things set standards for our lives that sometimes simply don’t fit. It’s good to be dedicated, have goals, deadlines, and to work, however if we find ourselves plummeting when a goal goes unreached or a soccer game gets skipped, it’s unhealthy. In that waiting room, after kissing the love of my life goodbye, and watching as they wheeled him away, skipping the spring issue wasn’t anywhere in my thoughts.
Sure, we need deadlines, and yes, they serve a purpose, but they come and go and new ones take their place regularly. Goals are good, but if we have to spend so much time working to make things work, that we miss the bigger picture, it can be an imbalance we’ll regret later. What I did think about in that waiting room was how thankful to God I was that I have the opportunity to spend time with the people I do, especially my husband.
Looking back, I’m thankful that I have a sister and brother-in-law who would drive to be with me that night. Thankful to have a daughter and a father-in-law that would help take care of the house while we were in the hospital, and beautiful friends, neighbors, and a mother-in-law who cooked and watched out for us. I am thankful for the many people, who even though they may not have talked to Larry in the recent past, checked in on him like the brothers and sisters they truly are when it counts the most.
During Covid many people took restock of their lives and where they place their efforts. Families became important again, as did family suppers, game and movie nights together. Friends were re-evaluated and people learned to focus their energies on the healthy relationships in their lives, instead of the negative ones.
In the hospital with my husband I was reminded of a song, Keep Me in the Moment by Jeremy Camp, and I have listened to it every single day since.
As we all restart our lives, I hope we don’t lose sight of what truly matters; what really deserves our efforts and concerns.
I don’t think I am going to have to learn that lesson again anytime soon. At least I hope not.
As seen in Modern Grace Magazine
