Back in Time: Life Anew

The young couple was thrilled to plan the next phase of their lives. Naturally, I choose to reflect upon the snapshot of the fleeting moment. Albeit true and cause for celebration, Kevin had a path toward a life in the future. I just couldn’t help to think when I would look back to the day when his life turned around, and how that may very well had just transpired.

The decision to double lock the closet door which contained the skeletons had been made. Of course, it is common knowledge, skeletons are a particularly persistent sort with little else to do but escape from that most confining space. And, as those of us whom are fully aware, they possess the skeleton key to our darkest side; the weakness that is our past.

In any event, the young couple made their plan to save up for an apartment. Making plans is one of those “truth is stranger than fiction” things. Initially, the story of our past is unfathomable, until such time the circumstances become revealed. It reminds of the joke a Chaplain told me in the military. He pointed out this little nugget that stuck for many a decade.

“How do you make God laugh his ass off...? Tell him of your plans.”

Whether it be God, fate, time, Karma; life has a tendency to put our plans ‘on hold’ prior to the plan reaching its conclusion. Much of the journey through life has to do with the point of which one starts. As parents, we wrestle to make that starting point an improvement of our own. In time we come to realize our Crystal Ball is cloudy at best.

As parents, we tend to like distinct lines and smooth edges toward our children’s phases in life. Rarely is such the case. It is better to think of it as the bleeding colors unto a rainbow. Indeed, this would qualify as one of those times to celebrate for those of the untailored eye. In fact, experience is taught from a reproving lesson plan.

Therefore as parents we hope, rather pray, the difficult chapter of our children’s past has indeed passed in spite of our tailored eye. The advantage being we know the signs of digression and the signs of progress… and so we sell the progression…while continuing to barter the digression.

Through subtle innuendos, personal stories; some true, some close to true; the story of life’s’ lessons unto the next chapter with respect to the last chapter… the parent pursues progression. Fore once their children venture beyond the front door, they are on their own. The fear of something you threw at the wall that just didn’t stick becomes a reflection.

Before you know it the day arrives. The stories are less frequent. The innuendos become less subtle. Time is less available. The young couple attained their goal to move into an apartment. As fore now, they can focus on the next step. They are having a child of their own. Of course they are hardly prepared. Fore they are children of themselves… and so you pray, in time, fate will be kind and Karma takes a holiday.

Not unlike the sands of an hourglass, these are the times of our lives.