What a great few days! Mike arrived home from Iraq on time last Thursday and the family and three senior officers from Navy Support Activity Millington where he is Executive Officer were there to meet him!
Friday night, the family all gathered for a birthday dinner for my step-son Lynn. Saturday Mike’s family and my wife and I headed out to a baseball game (Triple A Redbirds). Sunday, Carol and I took the two smallest grandkids to our world class zoo. Monday, Mike’s family and my wife and I attended a Memorial Day cookout.
I mention all this because it seems to me in our world, there is a decreasing emphasis on family time. Meals are hardly ever taken together. Mom’s in one car and Dad’s in other taking kids to some kind of practice. Evenings are often spent with everybody “in their corner” as it were, studying, catching up on work from the office or finishing chores around the house. So much seems to conspire to keep us moving and not necessarily moving together, just at the same time.
Our family has certainly been guilty of this kind of life. But looking back, some of our best times, the times we often tell and retell stories about, are those times when we were together—at a dinner table, trapped in a car heading to a vacation spot, strolling the zoo, or sharing a movie.
Perhaps that’s why I wanted to be there at the airport. One more time we’ll have together and one more time we’ll be able to say, “Remember that time when…” If you’re not doing much of this, you might want to rethink how you set your priorities.
The picture was taken by the chaplain who came to the airport. The face belongs to Mike, the gray hair to me.
The peace of the Lord be with you.
Jerry+
1 comment:
What a joyful moment. We are relieved that Mike is home safely. Blessings to you all. JM
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