Monday, February 18, 2013

Faces To Remember

First of all, I would like to say I'm sorry that I have been away for a bit.  My computer was acting funny and I didn't know if it was the computer itself, the server, or the wireless connection.  I had had the modem fixed before or another one put in.  After a short time, the problems began again.  I did get a different type of modem and right now things are rolling again.  Hope you have all been well and happy.  I couldn't even check up on you.


I have been looking at old photos of my children.  Whenever I do, I am reminded of the play Our Town by Thornton Wilder.  It is about a small town and everyday things.  Near the end, the heroine dies.  She is in her grave and wishing that she could come back to earth for just one day.  This is granted her.  Early in the day she talks to her mother and her mother is so busy that she doesn't even look at her.  This is the scene that I will forever remember from that fine play, that her mother did not look at her. 

As my children grew up, I took lots of pictures, but I also tried to look in their faces and remember the moment so that I could recall it in later years.  I have been somewhat successful, but when looking at the pics, I wish I had looked just one more time at their sweet faces.

When I am with my older children, I try to look at them.  I don't want to stare because that isn't right and I don't want to pass over them without looking.  Somewhere in the center is a comfortable place where I can look for just a moment and remember this time and this age.  The different ages are all so precious to me.

I try to look at my grandchildren.  Too soon they will be big and I don't want to forget.  I am able to look at my husband when we go out to eat.  At other times, I can catch a glance.  I understand that men aren't as comfortable about looking face to face as women.  I will try to be sensitive and look when I can.  It's the remembering that is important.  I don't want to be like Emily's mother and be too busy to see, really see the loving faces before me.

8 comments:

  1. I love to look at my kiddo's face. She's ten now and it's so neat to see the changes and how she volleys from looking like me to looking like my husband.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nancy, Thanks SO much for your prayers and for stopping by to leave your 'footprint' on both my Beautiful and my Just Write blog.

    Appreciate what you shared here today...it resonates too. To be so busy as to not look at one another... to truly look at see each other with the heart as well as face to face.

    Wishing you blessings and much grace for your beautiful life.

    Hugs,
    Brenda


    ReplyDelete
  3. I love to look at me daughters' and grandchildrens' faces. They change so quickly :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is such a good lesson...life is so busy that we forget to do this. Thank you for the reminder!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is such a funny coincidence. I've been going through old photographs of my youngest in preparation for his graduation party at the end of the school year. It's so bittersweet. I love to look at him now, but I love looking at his baby cuteness back then. (He'll never see what I wrote here so it's okay that I said "baby cuteness.")

    I agree though, Nancy. I too try to drink in the faces of the people in my life. To appreciate and remember.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such a good reminder. I just told Ben the other day how much I am going to miss Ty's sweet voice and LJ's strangling hugs! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've been trying to savor the moments with my husband, three children, daughter in law, and grandson. It really struck me hard when they were in their teens (my three kids) that I needed to savor the time, for it is fleeting. So true! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ever since my late husband was diagnosed with leukemia, there's been a sharp awareness of life's fragility. Even Methusaleh, who lived 969 years, died and has been gone a long time.

    More than anything, I want to treasure my loved ones and accomplish all God put me on this earth to do.

    ReplyDelete