One Big Thing

Cool nights, shorter days and color leaking from trees

One Big Thing

“It isn’t spring,” I said to myself as I was cleaning my garage and working in my yard yesterday.  Summer is getting dangerously close to turning into fall.  And, fall is the time I like to do my “spring-cleaning.” 

The dust and clutter of outside work is everywhere!  We’ll all be sort of locked up, spending more time inside, soon.  So, it only makes sense to make sure everything is prepared to weather the long, cold, dark days ahead.

“It isn’t spring for me either,” I breathed out as the ache of work ran from my shoulders to my toes.  I stopped for just a moment and reflected.

When I was in the spring of my life I had lots of hopes and dreams.  Most of those are no longer with me.  However, one thing is still with me.  It was a conversation I had with my friend Ron Green many years ago as he was entering the winter of his life.

“My life turned out just the way I planned it!” He said to me with a twinkle in his eyes.

I could tell he meant it.  There was that “thing” in the lilt of his voice.  There was conviction etched on his face.  He had lived the life of he own design and was grateful for it.  I returned his gaze and while looking at him with great admiration, asked myself, “Is my life turning out the way I planned it?”

“It isn’t spring anymore” I continued.

No.  It isn’t the spring of my life anymore.  That simply means I have things to do outside and inside of myself to prepare for my day of twilight.  The day when I, like my friend Ron, can say to another, “My life turned out the way I planned it!”

Before you roll your eyes, know that not everything has turned out in my life exactly as planned.  It hasn’t in the past and it won’t in the future either.  And, that’s one of the miracles life offers every one of us.  Life often gives us much more than we planned for.  It repeatedly, unexpectedly delivers more than we ever dreamed possible!  Different can be better!

Better!  Now I’m thinking about “one big thing.”  What is it I want to be known for at the end of my life?  This is a question to ask oneself during every season of life.  It doesn’t have to be asked only in spring. Summer is dangerously close to turning into fall.  Fall is the time when I do my spring-cleaning! 

One Big Thing!  It only makes sense to make sure everything is prepared.  How do I want my life to be remembered?