Sometimes when we get old, we get crabby. We forget how teenage boys have hollow-leg hunger. We tend to value garden flowers above the laughter and frolic of young people playing water games and laughing and showing us that it is the present moment that holds value, laughter that holds promise and fellowship that becomes a means of grace that few things top.
This afternoon our grandson and two of his friends came to get inner tubes to swim in the lake. They also very quietly helped themselves to three huge pieces of lemon cake. … no napkins… no forks. They stood dripping in the kitchen… crumbs everywhere….busted and laughing all over the place as I came into the room offering a glass of milk to wash the cake down. They left for a while, but soon came back with two other boys, two dogs, two tubes, four noodles and they proceeded to play whiffle baseball in our pool. One spaniel jumped and swam for the ball; the other spaniel simply ran circles around the pool. Toasty, our dog, ate one of the boy’s pieces of leftover cake along with the napkin. The backyard was alive with fun and laughter once again and all seemed right with the world.
When one gets old, the sound of laughter and splashing and games remind us that perhaps the olden days are not the best days after all. When one gets old, one is blessed when the house comes alive with family and fun. When one gets old, the blessing of grandchildren who bring their friends to Grandma and Grandad’s house for an impromptu party is a really cool thing. This is a good day… this for sure is the day that the Lord has made. I rejoice and give thanks in it! Amen.
