More to this life

"As painful as they've sometimes been,
I wouldn't trade away one minute
of the adventures that I've been through....
We are all a composite of those events and people
that have been in our lives"
-Barry Manilow (Sweet Life)

The last few months have shown me that life can throw us curve balls. I had a birthday again (those pesky things keep rearing their ugly head every year), survived a major car accident, watched and listened as a very dear friend of mine had the courage to file for divorce and experienced all the trauma of that decision, received a phone call that a friend's son had fallen in a swimming pool and was rushed to the hospital with major head and face trauma, experienced all the emotions of another friend possibly being shoved aside by a huge corporate buyout, commensurated with a friend whose children seem to find pleasure in ignoring her at every turn and verbally abusing her on a regular basis, experienced and relived some deep seated pain surrounding my fight with cancer, heard that my daughter's company has begun layoffs after another corporate buyout, and my son (well, that's a subject for another blog entirely).

All of these things help you put life into perspective. And, when we leave this world, how will our lives be measured? Did we make an impact on another human being? Did our lives count for something, or were they spent in self indulgence and materialistic pursuit? Do we care more about our external appearance than our internal spiritual growth? Did our children grow up to be responsible adults or immature whiners?

While we are here (and for many it's not very long) we had better use the time wisely. Because as one of my favorite verses says: "For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:8)

I am certainly no saint. And I'm not afraid to admit that I have sinned and fallen short numerous times in the last few months. But I'm glad to know that I can learn from my mistakes and that I can be forgiven. I know that there is more to this life than what most think and the last few months have put this all into perspective. And although some may think that I don't "practice what I preach", or that these are just words, my heart is right with God and with those who genuinely care about me. I can't please everyone all the time, and I can't expect those who can't look past the surface to appreciate what lies on the inside.

Why do I write here? I write here in the hopes that my words might touch another life. And I write in an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude for Barry's music, for the inspiration that it has brought me and for people that have come into my life because of it. If you don't take a risk and put yourself out there, you will never experience the moments of joy that come because sometimes you find the greatest blessings amidst what you thought was the greatest pain.

Experiencing "joy unspeakable" today,
Texas Fan