“Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.”
Yesterday, for the first time ever, I raised my right hand, took an oath and then took the witness stand. I was in court to testify as a collaborative witness for a friend who had finally reached the end of a long journey, the termination of her marriage. I sat there looking around the courtroom. This was not a happy day for me, and I felt uncomfortable watching the scene unfold. Tension was high, and it was a relief to have this part of the process over when we exited the courtroom. I knew her life going forward would be better, but this experience reminded me of how very fragile life and its parts are.
Two days ago I attended the funeral of a remarkable woman, a friend from church. She fought a three year battle with cancer that inspired everyone whose path she crossed. She was witty, compassionate, courageous, strong and brave, but life is fragile and her passing was yet another reminder that this life is fleeting and we only have the guarantee of this moment. That’s a hard lesson for her daughters and three precious granddaughters to learn at their young ages.
For several years I have prayed for two little boys, from two different families who are battling Leukemia. Their lives should be full of soccer practices, birthday parties with school mates, making big splashes in pools, and silly faces in mirrors, but instead they spend hours hooked to monitors with tubes pushing healing drugs into their little bodies. Their day to day health is very fragile, their parents never know when they will need to grab the overnight bags that stand ready by the door and head to the hospital for emergency treatments.
These reminders can be painful and sometimes frightening. It’s hard to watch a marriage crumble or be reminded of how fragile life is for young and old. Thankfully, I don’t face these hard places by myself. My faith, my family and my friends are there to lift me up and remind me that I am never alone in this precarious journey called life. I am also so thankful that the pendulum usually swings both ways, and for every sorrow there seems to be a blessing.
Last weekend my great nephew was baptized. It was such a special moment as his father’s father took this precious little boy into his arms, and gently sprinkled his tiny head, a grandfather and a pastor, committing his grandson to the Lord. I was also filled with the joy of new life as I watched my fifth granddaughter’s little heart beating on the sonogram monitor, safe in her mother’s womb a few days ago. We had sent a precious saint homeward this week, but new life was also abounding.
Many years ago, I stitched a sampler that said, “Life is fragile, handle with prayer.” It’s simple, I know, but its truth has seen me through some hard swings of life’s pendulum. Today, I will celebrate this special anniversary with my sweet friends and embrace these happy moments. In the future, I will hold fast to my faith, family and friends when life sends challenges, because in realty, it’s me, not life, that’s breakable, and without a UPS box and packaging, stamped “fragile”, I know it’s that firm foundation that’s going to get me safely to my final destination. Praying all my family and friends will handle and be handled with care and prayer, because your fragile selves are precious to me.
