There is a state park in Georgia called Vogel State Park which is located in the north Georgia mountains. When Elaine and I started dating, her family would go camping every 4th of July week. Early in our marriage we started going as well and would spend the week with 15-20 other families that would go the same time and we all became very close friends. Many times we would only see our our camping friends at Vogel. All of our kids grew up knowing each other and we all developed deep friendships during the annual camping trips at Vogel.
15 years ago all these families got together and decided to bury a time capsule under home plate at the Vogel ball field. We are supposed to open the capsule this coming Monday July the 4th 2016. The idea at the time was to bury a time capsule that hopefully many of us would still be alive to see it opened.
What is really humbling is that I can remember standing on the ball field 15 years ago with my family like it was yesterday. At the time, my oldest daughter was a junior in high school and my youngest was in the 9th grade and Elaine and I were in our early 40’s. Now 15 years later my two daughters have graduated high school, graduated college, gotten married, got jobs and we have two little granddaughters. All this has happened in what I would consider a blink of an eye.
Many of our friends that were there 15 years ago will not be there Monday because of life changes, moves, and in some cases, they have passed away. When we open the capsule and take out the pictures, writings and notes it will be a humbling moment. I believe I remember writing some meaningful things for my daughters to have should I not be there 15 years later. What a thought.
I suppose the point is to look at each day for what it really is. It is a moment in time that you will never have again. Hopefully you will have similar days but never a day exactly like today. If you miss the opportunities today, you may never get another chance. If you forget today to tell your loved ones that you love them, you may not have tomorrow. Look at each day and make a decision to fully be in that day and to fully be in those moments. The older you get, the years go by before you even know it and you look up and realize 15 of them have somehow slipped by.
Use your moments and your days to be all you can be for your family. There will come a day when you and I will no longer will be here to give advice on life issues and to hug them and tell them we love them. When that happens all they will have is the memories of you and what you did with your life. The bible says to make your election and calling sure. My main calling is not to be a salesman. My main calling is to be a husband, father, daddy and grandparent. Those are the only life titles that I care about and the only titles that will stand the test of time. KT
We will be there. See you on the 4th my friends….some of you sooner……… Campsites going fast up here, Don,t dally……
I hope you have big fun this weekend opening the time capsule. It was wise for you to start traditions in the beginning of your marriage.