Facebook and first day of school
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1.
grown up too fast
I get caught on Facebook this morning for almost an hour! I get up early to post the Daily Something and am overwhelmed by the pictures this morning of children going back to school this week. I can’t stop looking at them. I know them from previous churches, children and grandchildren of those I worked at Children’s Hospital, children I sang and prayed with at the Cathedral School, children from so many Vacation Bible Schools, children I learned from and dearly loved. Some are almost grown.
Most of the younger children and some of the teenagers agree to look happy and excited for their parents’ pictures. I envision these same photographs in albums and embarrassingly shown at future weddings and anniversaries. I think of the joy of grandparents and friends who are not able to see their family and friends as often as they would like but visit frequently with them on Facebook.
“Where have all the years gone?” is an often-quoted heading with the pictures. I agree. Life is so fleeting. That is why living the moment, the precious present, loving and enjoying the moment is so important. I realize I remember these children most because I did for a nanosecond stay present with them at some time in the past. Today I send each of them love. They in turn have sent back love to my heart as I remember who they were and cherish who they are today.
Anthony DeMello reminds us to keep our album of good memories that we can go back to and relive even better than we did the first time the events happened. He believes often the first encounter is too powerful to experience fully. He encourages us to keep these memories when we want or need to reconnect to the love that was present there in the past.
Living in the present is what gives us such beautiful memories, but there also is a season to go back and relive the love of those memories.
Times of transitions in our lives, such as going back to school are such times.
This was a good day on Facebook, worth getting up early to see and forgetting to check the regular news of the day.
Joanna joannaseibert.com