There is something about a milestone that allows us to pause and notice the passing of time. This year has brought an abundance of these to my life – 50th birthdays for both my husband and me, a 25th wedding anniversary, my son’s 21st birthday and my daughter’s high school graduation. I’ve been thinking that it is a good thing that we take time to celebrate these special points in time by gathering for meals, cakes, toasts and lively conversation. We are lucky that life offers us these moments to witness the passage of time and the transitions of life. More importantly, it lets us gather people we care about one more time.
As my husband and I pulled together old photos to display on a memory board for my daughter’s upcoming graduation party, it was fun to remember all those childhood scenes. We’ve sure had fun raising this daughter of ours. It saddened me to think that there may be people out there who won’t go through this process until they have lost a loved one to death. I immediately felt grateful to be celebrating Mandy’s vibrant milestones in this present moment. Believe me, she can be a royal pain in the *#%, but she is also a beautiful and strong person. She’ll probably have strong opinions about the memory board we created for her — and not all of them pleasant. I remind myself that much of her strength comes from knowing she is loved, no matter what. It is safe for her to be difficult with me! Regardless of what she thinks, those milestone photos capture her journey very well.
I suppose there may come a dry spell in the milestones now that this big year has passed. I have a feeling that we’ll always find a way to pause and celebrate something. Milestones still emerge when we least expect them – like those first grey hairs. We pause, acknowledge, and then continue to move forward.
Memories exist in every moment. It is the meaning we assign, and the learning that accompanies these moments that engraves them on our souls. Live deliberately so that your milestones are filled with love, hope and wonder and your days will be most pleasant.
