Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Memories

We all know Dr. Seuss as someone who writes really cool children's books that we still love as adults, but behind those children's stories was a very brilliant man who once said, “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”  

This is something we all need to remember in so many different ways.  Perhaps we move across country and we miss the friends we once had.  Perhaps we lost a loved one.  Perhaps a good friend moves away from us. 

It's normal to be sad or grief stricken about these things, but we should also realize that we are blessed and we will always have the memories of those times. 

We should learn to be like water.  Let the bad things slip through our fingers, but yet we can still hold up the ship of all the good memories. 

It's so easy to take things for granted and then, as the popular 80's power ballad proclaimed, you don't know what ya got 'till it's gone.  (Yeah, admit it, you are singing that song in your head now). 

I miss my friends from out West, but fortunately, we are connected on Facebook and I have the memories and am very fond of them.  I remember going to Taco Bell with my friend Charlie several times a week.  I remember him ALWAYS ordering a #5.  Always.  I remember my friend Kelly and Tasha who were coworkers of mine.  I remember when Kelly first told me he was interested in Tasha and he asked me what I thought about them getting together.  Tasha and I were good friends and I became like her big brother, so  Kelly basically sought my approval for her.  I remember watching Kelly grow in his faith.  I was sad when they moved 90 minutes away, but now I moved across country.  I remember Dave, Denise, Erin and Tyler (The Boy). I remember getting together with them on Tuesday evenings and the men would play ping pong and we'd have a prayer time / man time in the garage, sharing our hearts, talking to God, encouraging each other.  Good time.  I miss those times, but I smile, remembering them.  I was blessed to have those times.  I remember our friends Greg and Debbie, playing cards with them almost every weekend.  We had great times in Oregon.  Sad to be moved away now, but happy to have had those times together.

I remember the first time all my "Ted Dekker" friends got together in Nashville, TN. One of my favorite memories is the very first time I met my "cybderdaughter" in person.  I'll always have those memories. 

So that's my challenge to you all.  “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

That's all.
Gregg


2 comments:

  1. To add to this, my step mom said several weeks ago when my step brother died: Our memories aren't in a house or a certain piece of property, they're within us.

    Good stuff, Gregg.

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  2. Your step mom is absolutely correct.

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