Memories

This past week, a friend and I were talking. She’s a single mother and a teacher. This summer she was taking a class for her master’s degree and due to an unforeseen circumstance her sitter was not going to be able to watch her girls. She called her professor to let her know that she’s not be in…but the professor talked her into coming in with her girls. She commented to me that if nothing else, the experience would create some great stories for her to share with her girls: “Remember the time I took you to college with me when you were only 5…”.

This got me thinking (a dangerous thing, I know). Each time we say a word or share a touch or exchange a glance, we are creating a memory. These memories will likely shape who we are and will shape those that we encounter. We may never know when the last thing we say or do will really be the last. As we proceed thru our daily lives we never know when and if we will ever again encounter the people we pass. How scary.

We live in a fast service, instant gratification, gotta-catch-em-all world. We seem to live day to day – moment to moment, without ever giving a second thought to our actions or their consequences. Like a junkie looking for his next fix, we push aside any obstacles that get in the way of our pursuit of what we think will make us happy. Am I the only one who finds this disheartening and a little sad?

Think back to the last time you put someone down or said a hurtful thing. How many times have we sat down across from someone at a gaming table and said, “Wow, nice cheese team”. *Boom!* You’ve just created a memory. You play horribly against someone during a game. The dice never go your way, you can never get your force set up in the right area. You mope and pout and just want the game to end. **Poof!** Another momory.

Maybe this is just the rambling of a middle age man. I dunno. It just seems like we need to take more time to support those in our lives. Why use the “pay at the pump” option when you go to fill up your tank? Are we really in such a hurry that we cannot walk 20 feet into the shop, pay for our fuel, and wish the person behind the counter a happy day before they offer the same farewell? And don’t just say it, but mean it?

Why is it so hard to go out of our way to give a conscious effort to start making positive memories when we touch another’s life? When I get pick the kids up from the sitter’s after work, does it really take that much effort to greet them with a hug and let them know how much of a blessing they are in my life? Am I really soooo insecure in my manhood that it’s forbidden for me to tell my parents that I love them before I hang up the phone? Is it really that awkward to hug a friend “hello” after not seeing them for quite some time?

Think about it. The next words out of your mouth are going to shape someone’s life. Why not reach for something comforting and productive?