Exhale
Early morning between moon and sun. Day light brimming as
shadows become image and I close my eyes. Leaning against dew covered car, I
inhale…..exhale, listen….. Birds in perfect harmony, a siren in the far
distance, cars, like ocean waves, roll over paved earth through tree lined
barrier, and I…. just….. breathe. One breaths, two breaths….. busy day breaks
open my eyes and Savior says, enjoy one more moment. Eyes closed, inhale…..exhale…..
Birds…..
My prayer, as I reluctantly left my place of peace, that
morning, was that the next morning, I would be able to recreate that exact
moment. I could not. My body was tired the next day, the lighting was different
due to storm clouds passing by, and the timing was different due to a later
exercise start time. When I wrote that top paragraph in my journal, after my
experience, I had no idea where those words would take me on this post and
honestly, not until I typed them did I realize. In the world, so many of us
live, life is so busy, we long to recreate those moments in life where nothing else
matters but what you are doing right then. They are so rare with busy Mom and
Dad’s working in or out of the home, volunteering at church and other places,
kids on sports teams, dance, gymnastics, and the list goes on and on.
When I was 17, I took what was supposed to be an hour
and a half trip up to Chimney Rock, NC with a friend of mine. She had never
been to the NC Mountains, aka God’s gift to the world, and as we drove, we made
several stops and took lots of pictures. After going through Chimney Rock we
decided to keep driving up the mountain and found ourselves on the Blue
Ridge parkway. We drove and stopped, took more pictures and before we knew it,
the day was gone and we were in Gatlinburg, TN. This, my fellow parents, was
before cellular phones, so we had to stop and call my panicked Dad from a
payphone, collect, because at this point we had some gas in the car, a bag of
change and some skittles to eat. Daddy told us to take Highway 40 home, which
was punishment for us because if you have never been on that road and like my
friend, who, had only been driving for about 3 years, it was very scary. The truck
drivers own that highway and it is no place for inexperienced drivers to be
after dark. We finally made it home around midnight and my sleepy eyed, early morning
to work, daddy met us at the door. It was the first time I heard him curse at
me, and I ducked my head and went inside. Looking back I can see him breathing
calmer as I walked in and he closed the door, knowing I was under the safety of his roof.
A few years later, my friend and I tried to recapture that
trip and drove up to the mountains again. I honestly only remember making that
trip but I don’t have the vivid memories that I have of the first trip. Some
moments you can never relive, even if you want to. Like the first time your
child wades in the ocean, feels sad between their toes, sees a favorite
princess or cartoon character. Moments we hold in our heart. We see many movies
with parents forcing ungrateful teenagers to go on one last big family vacation
and disappointment reigns as they realize their kids are grown up and they don’t
enjoy the same things they once did. Don’t we all try to recreate those moments
when we felt good, safe, and happy?
The point in this is, when God gives us a moment to just
breathe, do it. Hold on to it and know that there will never be another moment
just like this one. You will have more moments to cherish, but this moment will
never come again.
It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises (with musical accompaniment) to Your name, O Most High.
To show forth Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your
faithfulness by night.
PS 92: 1-2
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