Trending
We are in that wonderful but fleeting place we call mid-summer. The weather has been problematical and precarious throughout the world over. But here in the UP, wind and rain and a few days of very hot weather have treated us better than most places. I just had some of my grandchildren with me for a few days at the cottage. As old as I am, I recall being with my grandmother at her summer house in Eagle Harbor. I recall those days spent with cool mornings and the sun rising over the bay; the yellow gold semicircle entering the East flooded my small being with awe. Glorious mornings of birds chattering and the smell of pine and vivid flowers that were outside my bedroom window. There were mornings of fog and the deep but reassuring sound of the foghorn, moaning caution. These were just some of the gifts of my grandmother’s summer house.
I had ten of our grandchildren for a few days. Hearing their voices, the universal sound of children, calling, screaming to others, laughing, and the occasional tear, opened the door to memories. Their world of everyday, with its small challenges and few needs, made me recall the wonder of childhood in general. How our world has changed since my own childhood days. But I was delighted to know that, pretty much, childhood today, at least the group I had, little had changed. Yes, there were a few who were computer-savvy. A few did have a phone given to them by their parents, but for these few days at Cousin camp, no screens, no phones, no video games, no television. We were going, Native. We read each evening, and then some of them read part of the book to the rest of us. They swam several times during the day, pools of water evident as they ran through the house to change, telling me they had dried off. Each one sought a private place to modestly change back into their clothes. We played games, we walked each morning and, on our walks, often brought cups and picked berries along the way. When we got back to the kitchen, there was a communal pot where the cups were dumped. The piles of blue berries and many red thimble berries among them, so much for purity of picking. As the day closed, the most important thing we did was evening prayers, not long, but we gave glory and thanksgiving for our simple joys of the day to our loving God. A peace entered the house as they all found their beds and snuggled down to sleep.
To be honest, I could not help but think how blessed I was to witness these beautiful souls growing and maturing, and that when I was married, many years ago, I never knew what God had for me to do and the many gifts and blessings I would be given. Marriage was an adventure at the time of my wedding; little did I realize the blessings and challenges that were coming to my life. Now, I am looking at the future I helped to bring to reality. Oh, what love can do! No, it has not been easy, and there have been times when I would have given up on problems, but grace kept me on the path. Jesus told us, I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John10:10). I have abundance; I am loved not only by God but also, these last several days, by 10 adoring small beings, and I return that love to them. I am filled up with what we have done these last several days with joy and peace. Even the small problems that can occur with small beings having fun made me happy to see that in the world we have, there has been little change in the arena of childhood. Kids are still kids.
Our current society has effectively sold a selfish and self-seeking message to many young people today. That marriage and children lead to a loss of selfhood and personal achievement. Women are especially targeted for this kind of propaganda. They see children as a limiting situation for their creativity and personal growth. Unfortunately, many women have bought into these selfish ideas; what they do not realize is that these ideas, especially as one grows older, lead to a lonely and often difficult life. Selfishness always ends up isolating the soul; love and trust in love always grow, like the yeast in bread dough.
If I could talk with young adults today, I would tell them to trust God, to follow Jesus, and if you follow His love, give it your whole heart, and trust Him. He will bring abundance to your life, as the Jewish blessing says: "May you see your children's children." Amen
"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38)