circles of life

There is a lot of talk in hospice of the circle of life.  You are born.  You live.  You die.  This circle reminds us that we aren't the first or the last to go through what we are presently experiencing.

There are smaller circles of life too.  Lighter ones.  I thought about this a few days ago when my son asked me to help him get a gag christmas present for a girl in his class.  It was a hesitant request. This is a very sensitive age relationally.  One wrong move on my part - teasing, probing, assuming, labeling, etc.  and the request would have been withdrawn and I would be blocked out of the loop.  But I played it cool.  I asked just enough to get the idea he was looking for.  I said no more. And then I hunted from store to store to make his idea become reality.  I finally found a darling little $5.00 (right price) teddy bear with a justin bieber (the gag) tee-shirt on that I thought might fit the bill.  My boy's relief and delight was total reward for my searching.

Twenty-four years ago tonight was my first big date with Steve.  It was a Christmas banquet and we were to bring a gift for each other.  This gift had to be PERFECT.  It couldn't cost too much, since I had no money, but it had to be cool and meaningful and express my deep devotion, but with subtlety in case the intensity of feelings were not mutual.  It had to be something he would love, and couldn't live without and..... I had no idea what to get and I had only a few hours left to get it.  As I headed to school I begged my mom to find the impossible gift, whatever it might be, and not embarrass me and wrap it and bring it to me, please, please, please.

Of course she did.  She found a great ski hat and a ski calendar.  Both were super cool and reminiscent of our recent ski trip and hinted to more trips in our future...  I took the calendar and wrote in all of Steve's basketball games, home leaves and friends birthdays.  I gave it to Steve that night.  He loved it!  (So much that he married me 7 years later. :))  Mom - You rock!  I hope my teenage self was grateful and appreciative for your genius and hard work.

And someday my son might find himself searching for the perfect gift for one of his children to give.  It's just one of the circles of life.

Remember His promise forever—from generation to generation.  1 Chronicles 16:15