The Little Things

Greetings,

I had a wonderful time officiating a wedding in Wyoming this past weekend.  We stayed in Laramie and held the wedding at the University of Wyoming.  It was wonderful to see some old friends of the Larsen family and to make new friends from the Yentes family.  We got back home last night safe and sound.

Upon returning Christine read some of the Care Pages updates that she had been receiving regarding a colleague that had recently had brain surgery to remove a frontal lobe tumor.  The surgery was successful and Christine has had the opportunity to share some of our experiences with her.  After reading and speaking with her friend Christine was reminded, and reminded me, of how important the little things were to us after my surgeries.  Honestly, I had forgotten.  She reminded me of how, following my surgeries, the little things were so important and so unimportant.

What she meant was that, after a trauma like brain surgery, you are so thankful for life in general.  Time with family, warm summer days, good friends, and the chance to be together with your children are things that we have a tendency to take for granted.  Brain surgery tends to remind you of those wonderful times once again.  However, you also realize that little things like a brown spot in your yard or the red sock in your laundry aren't big deals at all.  I have to be honest, the further I am removed from my surgeries the more I have forgotten those pearls of wisdom.  Time separates us from tragedy, or at least the immediate emotional response.  I wish it were different!  I wish that I would be able to remember what it felt like to be thankful for time I have been given.  I guess, with the World Cup being so prominent now, you would call it "stoppage time".  You know, it is that time that you are given when, in reality, the game should be over. 

I do thank God for the "stoppage time" I have received.  And looking at the trials and triumphs of another family that has been touched by brain surgery I am, once again, reminded of the little things.  I am reminded of the important things and how it was and can be again.

I challenge you this day to remember the little things.  I challenge you to find the joy of a sunset and to refuse to be saddened by the rainstorm.  Each of these come in our lives, there is nothing we can do to change that.  What we can change is the way we perceive and react to them.  Christine was right, I had forgotten some of the lessons we learned from five tough years of health.  And, although, the health is still a problem it is not the problem.  I need to be more thankful for that in my life.  So, enjoy the day because it is all we are given.

May God bless each of you this day with the little things!

Until next time,

Derek