The Moment

“There were moments in his life and he gave his life to those moments”     – Epitaph on Bill Wilson’s gravestone

When I reflect on all the lessons and teachers in my life, I am humbled by the power of the moment.  The here and now, awareness, everything resides in the moment.  The rest is either anxiety about the future or memory.

I think back to everyone in my life who taught me how to love. 

My Mom expressed sincere gratitude every time her young innocent son brought in a gift from nature. 

My Dad who stood at the outfield fence, for what seemed like hours, when I was too afraid to join the Little League. 

My friend Joe who stood with me in the rain, under the highway overpass halfway between Ohio and Pennsylvania, reminding me this was a night we would never forget.  I did not forget. 

My beautiful, loving wife Sandra who said “yes” on my third try - I finally got it right. 

My daughter Ashley, who cannot speak, lives fully every moment.  They tell me she is developmentally delayed, severely, profoundly retarded.  Ashley and I have shared life and death moments. 

The moment the doctor said, “you might want to have your sons come in and say goodbye to their sister”  - that was the moment I devoted the rest of my life to love. 

The moment when the monitor began to beep in recognition that her life was returning - that was the moment that I devoted my life to gratitude. 

The moment in the mountains of Idaho when I prayed for Ashley to be healed and I heard God’s still small voice say “she is not to be healed, she is the healer, let her do her work”  - that was the moment I devoted my life to sharing Ashley’s story with the world. 

That was the moment I devoted my life to service.