Holding Fast

Life is tenuous. Our world can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye. While some days and weeks meander slowly, with little changes, and thrust you rapidly off a cliff. Every day I am surprised (though I don't know why) to hear of some new tragedy around the world, or far too close to home. Who knew we'd live in an age of pirates and tea parties. I wouldn't have believed it, a few years ago. Not that I don't appreciate the frustrations. Job loss has become a creeping, foggy disease that every family prays will pass over their house. And by the way, our houses are worth less, but we're stretched even farther. And somehow ideals like honor and honesty have fallen out of fashion. And beyond all these worries hanging over us, there are the things we long for that we don't have. In my family, we're anxious to start a family...and the adoption wait seems endless. Somehow, these burdens seem even heavier today.

But within this uncertain life, we still have our little pleasures and lovely moments. And because they are fleeting, they're all the more precious. I've said that before, I know. But today I'm holding fast to it, like a lifeline. There's a reason we're born and we die and we suffer pain some days in between. If we didn't know grief, laughter would lose it's power. If we didn't know loneliness, the spark of true connection would lose it's meaning.

This has been a maudlin blog, forgive me. But here's a song that I think sums up my thoughts tonight...and always lifts my spirits. Hopefully it will cheer yours, as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o02nfZAqppA

Tonight, my happy is the simple joy of having family close, and safe. And for tonight, that can be enough.
Though to be honest, a bit of leftover Easter candy doesn't hurt, either.