Reflections of a Life Well Lived.

Austin and I were away for a wedding this weekend. It was a beautiful wedding, two people ready to start building a life together. Weddings always trigger a hope and wonder within me, a remembrance of the important things in this life. Watching two people commit to love each other, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death parts them. It’s a bold promise, it is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. It is one that brings blessing and challenge. Watching two people make this commitment to each other is one of life’s utmost joys. As I was sitting there, I was reflecting on how my own wedding day, combined with the day I chose to follow Jesus, and the five days that my children were born, make up the best and most important days of my life. Sure, there are a million moments in between and so many of those are important too, but these stand out as the emotional highs of my life. These are the moments of the most intense joy and emotion.

I had the pleasure the next day of spending some time with the groom’s grandfather. He spent time walking us around the beautiful property that he owns in Atlanta, the home where he raised his children. There are so many memories and so much love that poured out of that home as he walked us through it. Pictures abound of his children and grandchildren, a map with pins showing every place that he and his wife travelled in the world, and the barn where his wife kept all of her beloved horses and taught others to ride. As we walked around I couldn’t help but think of my own children and all the special moments that we’ve shared in our home. If I was reflecting back, my version might sound a little different– here is the mud puddle where the kids like to make mud cakes, this is the patch of poison ivy that put one child in the hospital, this is the deck that we’ve been working on for two years. But in all seriousness, home is a space full of memories and love. It is the space where a majority of our life together takes place. There are memories of tears and of laughter and of a lot of in between.

Mr. Goldsmith sat and told us many stories of his childhood and of how he met his wife and married at 23 (she was 19). He told us of how his three children came along, including the surprise of one 13 years after they thought there would be no more. As I sat and listened, I felt as though I was watching a man reflect and tell the story of his life well lived. When we asked him about his profession, he told us politely about it for a few minutes, but these weren’t the memories that excited him, this wasn’t the heart of the life that he lived. When he talked of his family, his kids, his wife– thats where the smile came, that’s where the joy was evident.

I couldn’t help but walk away seeing the beauty of life. I witnessed a beautiful beginning on Saturday as two people said “I do,” and then I witnessed the beautiful reflection of a man who is nearer to the end. Both so sweet in their own way. Austin and I are somewhere in the middle. Day in and day out we are building those memories that someday others will hopefully want to listen to. These moments right now, they make up a life. Those big, emotional high moments that I mentioned before, Mr. Goldsmith didn’t mention a single one. Each of the memories that he shared were of the everyday moments along the way. He didn’t tell of his wedding day, but he did tell us of how he met his wife when she sat right down on his lap! He didn’t tell us of the day the children were born, but instead he told us about their personalities, how they interacted with each other, funny stories of their childhood. He told us of the everyday moments. This man built a beautiful life and family. I look forward to having similar reflections when we near the end of days here on earth, reflections of a life well lived.