Above and Beyond by Dr. Juan Harrison
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We’ve talked before about life’s changing circumstances as we’re making plans or attempting to carry them out. The military calls it “monitor and adjust.” Maybe a spouse departs; a child with family in tow arrives at the front door; a grandchild or other relative moves in for various reasons. One day the house is relatively quiet and organized. The next day it looks like a Texas tornado tore through the house.
I don’t think it’s selfish to look forward to retirement and a slower, more predictable lifestyle where your biggest decision is where to eat and when. We call them the golden years. You pretty much do what you want to when you want. No horde of e-mails to dominate your time requiring attention ASAP. Sometimes you get a heads-up about the possibility of new residents headed to your house; sometimes not so much.
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For some families they may have lived with a situation of boarders coming and going from time to time. For others, it may be fairly permanent as Mom and Dad can’t live by themselves and aren’t ready for The Home. Children divorce and can’t afford to live on their own. A grand needs a place to stay while attending a nearby college, but sometimes it serves as a reminder that we’re not alone in this battle called life. Sometimes seemingly bad times come and ultimately make us stronger or point us in a new direction. Lemons into lemonade applies here. God said what was meant for evil He turned to good. Maybe we find out that we are stronger, that our faith and our provider is truer than we believed.
Someone told me about an acquaintance who said he was a loner. I had already observed it, but I think the fella takes pride in his claim. I just can’t help think what life is like with no spouse, children, grands, or close friends. Down deep people like to help one another. Us Texans seem to step up to the plate when disasters arise or neighbors fall. I’d like to believe that those hard times are just opportunities for us ordinary folks to be touched in our hearts and pushed into action. Doing good feels good. It restores our faith in our neighbors and friends. What would my little town be like without our fish fries to help the rural fire department, a walk-a-thon for cancer, flowers for the graves of our vets, collections for a victim of a house fire.
Goodness is everywhere. Sometimes we just may need a kick on the backside or a thump on our heart to get the motor running again.
By Dr. Juan Harrison
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