I had two moments today that stood out from the rest. The first occurred as I was driving to a job interview. I was behind a school bus and as I neared I realized that it was the Orem High girls soccer team on their way to a game. This was significant for me in several ways. I kept watching the girls in the bus as they were laughing etc. and memories of nearly identical trips began to flood my mind. Amazingly enough I didn't feel pain, regret, or sorrow but it was simply a warm memory. The strange part was realizing that probably all the girls I had played with were graduated and no longer on the team. Crazy how time flies. And to finish it off I pass the bus and see my old coach kickin' it in the front row as if nothing had changed in these past four years. I smiled and continued on my way. But something inside told me to hang on to the moment and it has stayed with me throughout the day.
Interestingly enough, the next pertinent moment of the day also took place while I was driving. I was singing along to one of my favorite songs and had come to a stop light. I look to my right to see a young girl, about 10 or eleven years old, sitting in the back seat. She had been staring at me and as our eyes met she laughed and turned to whisper into her younger sisters ear who was sitting on her other side. A little self-conscious but also unwilling to bend my ways simply because of a young girls mocking, I looked forward again with a determined stare. I continued to sing even though I could sense the stony stare continuing from the vehicle next to me. However, I was still curious and decided to dish out a similar dose of mischief. I continued to sit casually as I waited for the light to change. Then, suddenly, and without warning I turned my head to stare at the girl. As I had guessed, her eyes and those of her sisters had been fixed upon me. When they met my gaze they jumped with surprise and began to look at each other and laugh. The three of us chuckled together at the moment we had shared. Just then the light changed and they were out of my view. Just as I had felt with the bus earlier, I noticed the significant weight that this moment held in comparison with others and I pondered upon it the rest of the way home.
In all. The conclusion I came to is that "thus is life" my life is built moment by moment and what I learned today is that the past is so much more than a well-known story, it is what formed the me of today. I think that is what struck me about these encounters today was that in both cases, I saw myself in the eyes of that teasing girl and in the hearts of that team. It was like passing the "me"'s of yesterday and seeing how far I've come. I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who has guided and shaped me into who I am today and who I will be tomorrow.
