Sunday, January 3, 2010

5 Birthdays, 1 Baptism, and a Funeral


5 Birthdays
In the last three weeks, I've celebrated five birthdays. Leasie turned 8 and the twins turned 6. My "baby" sister, who was visiting from Utah and can still easily pass for a teenager, turned a whopping 30. And my dear friend, Molly Kay, joined me in the proud ranks of mid-thirties (errr...make that late twenties).

1 Baptism
Three days after Christmas, my little Leasie was baptized. In the Mormon church, we wait to be baptized until eight years old, when we are old enough to be accountable for our decisions.

She was so beautiful, dressed all in white, wearing a dress sewn by my Mom. Having the baptism so close to Christmas made it even more special and poignant. I thought of the beauty of white--the white snow still packed in solid heaps on the ground, the white dress Leasie wore, the white color of Christmas time--all signifying purity, newness, and perfect Christlike love.

I cried happy tears.

1 Funeral
The very next day I played the piano, accompanying a violin solo, at a funeral. The funeral was for a woman who died much too young from cancer. She left behind children, a husband, and many friends.

I cried sad tears.

These events, so concentrated over the last three weeks, have made me hyper-aware of the passage of time. I feel like I've been on fast-forward racing from one occasion to the next. My wrinkles seem to have multiplied. Time rolls forward like a huge rock tumbling down a mountain side, gaining momentum. And no matter how much I try to breathe in each event and savor each moment, they seem to slip by so quickly. And I'm left mourning their passing.

And yet. All the events, in varying respects, are new beginnings. Where one year ends, another begins. Where innocence ends, the chance to choose and be accountable for our choices begins. And even when a life ends, there is, in a way, a new beginning -- for the soul gone to heaven and for those of us left behind.

My hope for this year is that I recognize these moments, monumental and small, that come and go so quickly, and as they go whizzing by, that I can grab hold, ride with them, and see each one as a beginning. Not an end.

3 comments:

  1. That's a lot of birthday funtimes! So glad you're keeping busy :) And CONGRATS to Leasie!

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  2. What a lovely post. I'm sending a prayer and a hug to you, Leasie, and your friends and family for all of these milestones both joyous and tragic.

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  3. Congratulations Leasie, Meya, and Tman. It was so special for Leasie to turn eight and the twins to turn six. Tman's cake was the coolest! From Madi

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