Memories

Many popular phrases and contemporary songs encourage moving ahead and not looking back. Paul, in the New Testament even encourages his contemporaries and us today to move ahead, forgetting what lies behind. I have even posted about the necessity to leave yesterday behind, shutting the doors on what once was while bravely walking through new open doors in to the unknown. Yet, after recent time spent with family there are some things from the past that are good to hold on to. Things that will make "straining ahead into an unknown future" easier.

I was recently blessed to have all three of my adult children, my daughter-in-law and my six grandchildren all under the same roof for a couple of days. An extra blessing was having my dad and step-mom join us for a few days.  As we gathered together talk often turned to days gone by; things that the kids said or did when they were little, how I behaved as a mother (it was pointed out that the grandkids get away with a lot more than their parents ever did!) and shared memories of family outings or simple ordinary days. My oldest granddaughter, Ellie, even got into wondering about the past as she asked for stories of her daddy when he was little. Aunt Tori even shared with Ellie that there was a brief time in her childhood when she didn't like her little sister, Calista, very much. This fact really seemed to bother Ellie so Tori quickly pointed out that she liked Calista now. Over the course of the next few days Ellie continued to bring this up and asked me for reassurance that Aunt Tori now liked Aunt Calista. I don't think Ellie can imagine not liking her little sister who is only six months old - she may need to be reminded of this one day!

As I contemplated our conversations of memories it occurred to me that it really isn't necessary or even wise to completely close the door on the past. After all, memories (and relationships) are the only things we will take with us out of this world. Memories can bring us hope, serve as reminders of love and give us the courage to face the unknown. Memories are a gift from God. We can be robbed of many things in this life but memories are ours forever.

There is a popular saying that speaks to cancer robbing the victim. Earlier in the summer my son took a few of his football players to a camp for children dealing with cancer - in the lodge he saw a sign that spoke to what cancer cannot do (in the midst of many things that it can). He took a picture of that sign and sent it in a text to me. That text came on a day when I needed to be reminded that yes, cancer has robbed me of many things, but it cannot prevent love, conquer the spirit, silence courage, take away memories or weaken faith. No, cancer cannot take away memories!

What cancer can and can not do was recently reinforced in a novel I recently read. The main characters are battling a relentless, aggressive cancer as husband and wife. Regarding cancer the husband states this about his wife's battle;
     "Cancer can do a lot. It can wreck your life, steal that which you hold dear, shatter dreams, crack your confidence, sever your soul and leave you wasted and wrung out. It can rob you of hope, whisper lies you learn to believe and dim the lights along the river. It’ll rob your voice, your health and your image of yourself. It’ll feed you with nausea, and cause you to know the difference between tired and fatigued. And when you think you can’t cope, and can’t think, it pours despair in like a blanket. Soon, it covers and colors everything. It’s an absolute bona fide hell. But—, Hopelessness is a disease, more powerful than the one that can steal life. Because it affects the heart…There is no vaccine, no one is immune. And only one weapon can battle it. It is the weapon that says I will walk through hell with you—no matter what. In the end, cancer only steals what you give it."
from "Where the River Ends" by Charles Martin

Yes, in the end cancer only steals what you give it. I will NOT give it my memories.