The End...

I catered today. A small, but profitable, part of my job is catering private events on the weekends. These events are usually fun and the extra money is nice, so I don’t mind doing it. Today was no exception. But today was also bittersweet. Today I catered a baby shower. The young mother-to-be was beautiful, the young couple has been happily married for a year, and the family exuded joy and excitement. It was really special to watch as everyone helped decorate the café and get ready for the shower. They were an easy family to like and plied us with delicious Italian cookies, which we happily accepted.

But I couldn’t help but wonder as I watched today…what will the years bring to them? Will they make it through job changes, moves, and mid-life crisis? What about money problems, sickness and death – will they grow stronger when the challenges of life hit them, or will the challenges divide and conquer? I have talked to my dad about this. He is a pastor and has married hundreds of couples including all of his kids. And he has expressed feeling the same thing as he stands before couples on their wedding day – will they make it?

Life is hard and some days are heartbreaking. And when life gets difficult it is easy for the difficulties to obstruct our vision in such a way that we forget the good things. And sometimes we forget that there were good things. And that is the place I found myself today. The ending of my marriage was so hard I forgot that there were good things - like my kids, that happened during those years. I forgot the joy and anticipation I felt when I was pregnant with my kids. I forgot how much fun it was to watch their personalities develop and laugh, without them knowing it, at some of the things they did. My children were and are such a joy to me.

It is normal for us to remember the last thing that happened. The last thing we learned in math class, the last song of a concert, and the last chapter in the story. And it is okay to walk away disappointed if the last of whatever is unsatisfying.  But we shouldn’t let the last become all. What I mean is we should not let the end of the story be the whole story because it is not the whole story. And an end may be the cessation of one thing, but it is also marks the beginning of something new.

Although catering was hard, it was good to be reminded of other parts of my story. And in remembering the good parts I realized there will be good parts again.