Sunday, February 5, 2012

Best of Books

One of the best books my boys read in Kindergarten is The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson.  The lessons in it are not just for them.

In the book, the old tramp (a homeless person of yesteryear), Armand Pouly, enjoyed sitting outside the restaurants of Paris in the evening, dining on the odors coming from inside them.  He had quite a routine, and could almost, almost, feel like he was inside dining in reality.  He would even wipe his face when he completed his "meal."

Through the course of the book, however, he realized that rather than merely dining of the memories of meals, he needed to get out and work so that he can have the real thing.  This realization came when he began to care about the young Calcett family.

There are times when I merely "dine" on my memories.  I remember what it was like to be married, what Keith looked like, felt like, smelled like, sounded like.  These are pleasant memories.  I had a wonderful husband, and I miss him.

Then, like Armand, I realize that I cannot dine on the memories forever.  I am in the land of the living.  I am not done with my jobs here.  I must care and I must raise my family and I must carry on, not just for Keith's sake, or the boys', but for my own.

I want to jump into my new life with both feet, eyes wide open, and dine on each and every moment as it happens.  I don't want to be on the sidelines, waiting for life to happen, enjoying simulations of happiness; I want to feel the real thing, and I won't unless I am willing to dine on the life I have been given.

God doesn't always give us what we want, but He ALWAYS gives us what we need...HIM!

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10 B

1 comment:

  1. Love love love this, brave lady. Love love love you as well. :)

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