Once, maybe twice, in every life time there is a turning point. This is a point when you see the world differently, a point when you gain a new perspective. For me, becoming a father for the first time was one of these transformative life experiences.
My wife and I fell in love in college. Later, we worked at the same high school. As time passed, we got married and started a family. Once the baby was born and when my parental leave was used up, I went back to work.
At the end of each work day, I would do everything in my power to get home to be with our new born. While my wife had personal time, I would pick up our little bundle of joy, tuck him into the front baby carrier and just go for a walk. Just hours before I had been overwhelmed with the needs of the school and my teaching, but at the end of each day with him in the baby snuggly, I would just see the beauty of the world. I would walk to see the apple trees in the school orchard. I would walk to see the western sky and the setting sun as it hit the clouds. I would walk on the school prairie to wonder at the miracle of waves of grass blowing in the wind. All my worries and fears would melt away.
The miracles of the world were every where and I carried this little one to as many of them as I could. We shared the moment. We just shared the time and space together.
I still carry him and his younger brother in my heart each and every day. My challenge now is to remember to not loose touch with the miracles of this world that are still present each and every day. Now I have to go out and discover them again. I need to see the world and not let my challenges, fears and struggles define the world. I need to not let my burn out overwhelm my hope
As I have learned from the wise counsel of others, clarity of purpose can propel me forward through my challenges; my skills are often sharpened in times of challenge and difficulty; being humble is a powerful antidote to arrogance.
This week and for the rest of this month into the new year, I encourage you to adopt or re-kindle a new perspective in your life. It is the continual revelation that we are surrounded by miracles each and every day. It is time we open our eyes and see them. This is the blessing of this time we have together.
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