Remembering, But Not Staying

Last week while driving through the countryside with Lennon to his vet. appointment, our local classical music station played, of all things, How Much Is That Doggie In The Window. 

Immediately I was flown back to the house where I lived at 10-years-old and I could see my dad and his friends in our living room with their guitars singing that song. And I became a bit misty-eyed.

It's wild how songs and scents can whisk us backward like that. But you know? I take only quick, short trips to my Past, partly because I can go sentimental in three seconds and the good times back there can have me wishing for those same good times to be here, now. 

But mostly? That's impossible. Thousands of miles and whole decades separate me from them and many of the people from there are here no more. And I'm all grown-up, the Times have changed and I've watched too many folks live in a sad type of melancholy when they could not accept that the past is, well, gone.

I love my Now better, but oh, it is so very different from my Then. 

As a child, then a young woman, my days of happiness were scattered, and they were amazing; those song fests in our home, parties at church, family reunions, youth retreats and school musicals. And later, camping trips with Tom and a sweet Naomi and all those mothering joys with a small child and being young and silly with love for a new husband. Memories galore!


Incredible times, but as I said, I remember them, their joy, being scattered. In good times I was Up (so Up!), but in bad times I was Down (so very Down). But in my Now, I have whole long strings of daily happiness, long strings, where days of contentment stretch, blending to create whole years of joy.

And though my current life bears little resemblance to my younger one, I prefer this one. Why? It's due mostly to Jesus' being emotionally steady, Himself, the greatest help of all to keeping me that way.

So on this Memorial Day, I'll take quick peeks backward where I will see people from those old days which are now gone, but I'll not pause too long. Memories can be tricky, way too selective, stellar, even, outshining, making disappear the bad moments which invariably co-existed. 

But again, I'll take my Now. My steadier, more stable Now with its gleaming pearls of wisdom and it's hour-by-hour surprises of contentment.

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Speaking of memories and songs, have you heard Susan Boyle's latest song from Britain's Got Talent? She began a little shaky, but when she nailed it, oh my, she nailed it. I've still got the tears in my eyes to prove it. I so want a Susan Boyle cd now, now, NOW!

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"With godliness and contentment there is great gain."