Living in the Moment As Moments Dwindle

Today I made a solid date with my son after more than a week since he picked us up at the airport on Long Island. Somehow, every day, something would come up in terms of work or job hunting or friends and he would break our plans for meeting for lunch or dinner or a walk in the park. Some would say he lives in the moment, which is good as a general rule, but bad when it means that you will spend less than 5% of your time in a week with your mother who lives on the other side of the country now.

We extended our trip by a week so that in addition to business, we could spend more quality time with family and friends. Now we have seven more days to attempt to meet.

I suppose when I was 20 I probably spent as little time as possible talking to my Mom, but now that the shoe is on the other foot, I see it differently. Time seems to pass more quickly to me now that we're far away, and I treasure every hour we have together.

Last week we went to a barbeque with the Wasilausky's, whom we know well from church, and we were entertained all evening by their grandchildren, Molly, 6, and Sean, 3. My father-in-law was amazed at how I had so much to say and do with them, since he hadn't had the pleasure of having young grandchildren around. I should borrow them every now and then so that he gets his fill.

It brought back memories of my son when he was at that magical age of being able to express his thoughts and having such passionate opinions about animals and stories and playing. He was a big fan of Batman then (before Batman became such a dark character) and loved the movie Aladdin. He begged for a dog until I finally caved in on his 10th birthday. We did lots of things together then, especially since I was a single mother. Some of my fondest memories were of going to the beach and swimming for an entire day. He never seemed to tire of the water.

As he gets older, it seems I worry just as much about his well-being as I did then, except that I have far less control over it now. He no longer worships at church, which is typical of most people his age, nor does he spend much time thinking about spirituality and eternal life or even the consequences of his actions. Ironically, I think Proverbs in the Bible addresses such issues and states that young people are expected to behave that way -- but they must atone for it when they mature.

My son is baptized and confirmed, so all I can do is pray and ask God to watch over him. Like many other young men, I know that he is in danger of being injured by an often uncaring and brutal world. Or of injuring others because of his callow youth and undisciplined actions.

Last Sunday's scripture, taken from the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians (3:14-21), is the kind of sound advice he was fond of dispensing to various outposts of Christians, like a parent to his children.

"...I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."