Blast from the Past

To be able to look back upon one's past life with satisfaction is to live twice. - Lord Acton

Today I had the privledge of spending the day with my old children's pastor. I haven't seen her in 10 years. Since that time, she has gotten married, moved across the country and become a senior pastor. And, obvioulsy I have changed a little bit during that time! But, it was like I had never stopped seeing her or keeping in touch. She shared many things about my childhood that I had forgotten and some that I never knew. She told me about how I was always her favorite and had worked my way into her heart. I always loved her and remember so many good times with her. She used to have tea parties at her house for us youngins...and she would let me drink coffee! That is a privledge when you are 11! She shared a story with me about how I got the lead in the Christmas play one year...I remember there being drama and people shedding tears, but that is it. I guess there were a couple of us that wanted the part, but she felt I deserved it. So, she decided to draw a name from a basket to determine who would get the part. What she admitted to me today was that my name was the only one in the basket. I thought this was pretty funny. But, at the same time, it is nice to know that I am so loved. I also got to hear stories about the stupid things I did...but if anyone knows me, they should know those stories are plentiful...ha, ha! Yeah, some story about me and my brothers and her daughter tagging on the back fence. Boy weren't we bright kids!?! I also recall having a bonfire in her front yard, which I am sure she wasn't too pleased with.

It seems like in life as we move forward, many times we forget the road we traveled. Now, I know there isn't much road to travel as a kid, but it is nice to revisit those memories and know that even at a young age, someone had my back! Oh yeah, and this great lady still has a picture of me in her office from when I was 13! Anyone who has kept a corny picture of me up in their house for that long has to be cool...or stupid; one of the two!