If enough time passes, things can really change. Time folds back on itself and like an Origami swan, a beautiful thing is formed. I watched my niece marry. I looked at the faces of her siblings and they are all nearly grown. My sister and her husband will have been married 25 years August 7th. Their hair is greyer and they have their share of laugh lines, but their marriage seems stronger than ever.Â
I stood in the back of the hall and watch the slideshow of the bride and groom and their families. The mom’s hold little babies, toddlers in booties and bonnets.The fathers with their children. So much hope, so much pride, so many blessings. And now they are “all grown”. I was overwhelmed with the thought of time passing by and how fast to goes. My husband came from across the room and he had the same thoughts. Our boys were just babies. Tomorrow they will be men. They will be in love (hopefully). The will have dreams and desires and be setting off on their own. I will have to let go. If I do my job as a parent correctly, then my children grow up and are fully prepared for the world. They are brave and strong and assured. The ask the right questions. People will think they are funny and clever and amazing. They will forge ahead. Time for them will speed up and they will pull away. It is both exciting and sad.
I remember my wedding day. All of the world stretched before me. I had my partner and love and we were off to conquer the world, to dream our dreams and to build our future. Where has the time gone? It is impossible to slow time, but it is possible to make time more valuable. Having more of the people that enrich my life around. Laughing with my sister like we have not since we were girls. We sat and whispered and wise cracked and shared little inside jokes. She is as beautiful as when we were young and she has done a fantastic job with her 6 kids. And Lord, the are beautiful…stunning really…and smart and quick-witted. In a blink it passes.
At my wedding, the second reading at our Mass was from the Book of Sirach (called something different in the KJV). It speaks about lying to rest all wrongs, settling all debts, mending all past failures because all things move swiftly before the Lord. So true. I cherish the gift of getting MORE time with my sisters, with their families and weaving them tighter into the fabric of my life.