A very low-key Sabbath day for us.
Kirk and I went for a walk today, around the pond, like we used to do daily. This is the first time I have been up there since Our Adventure began. It was beautiful to see the reflection of Maple Mountain and the changing leaves in the pond.
Everything was so peaceful and calming. Exactly what we needed.
I have been very reflective the last few weeks about Our Adventure and lessons that we have learned throughout the last few months. I am sure the lessons will continue, maybe not as vividly as some have been, but they will be there. I'm not worried about that.
My concern is the forgetting.
I was visiting with a darling friend, Raylene Long, the other day about the forgetting. We have several great connections, our husbands both work for Orem City, are both Police Officers and both love to ride motorcycles. We have both gone through life altering experiences where our husbands were injured and have recovered. Let me tell you a little bit more about Raylene's husband, Jeff Long.
While serving our country in the Middle East, a suicide bomber detonated a van full of explosives in very close proximity to Jeff and his team. They were driving a HumVee, Jeff was on top as "the Gunner". When the van exploded, Jeff was engulfed in flames and fell inside the HumVee. The fire suppression system was able to put the fire out but not before Jeff suffered severe burns to his face and body.
Jeff spent several months in military hospitals recovering from the burns, some of the time without his family by his side. There are still scars, emotional and physical, from his experience, and probably always will be. Jeff is another Hero in my life.
I asked Raylene how they kept the things they learned during that time, including the very miracle of him being alive, at the forefront of their mind. She told me that she had mentioned to Jeff, just a few days prior, that the scar on his face was fading. This was a very visible reminder to them of the miracle they had been given. With it fading, would the memories fade also?
Don't misunderstand me, there are some things I would be fine forgetting. But there are some vitally important lessons here that we obviously would not have been able to learn without Our Adventure. So how do you remember these things when life resumes it's normal pace, other stresses take over and you aren't "focused" on the Adventure?
For us, part of the gratitude includes putting the lessons we have learned into action in our lives. We are more mindful of others who are in difficult situations, who need our prayers and service and we act. We cherish our time together, with our family, friends and each other, in ways we didn't understand before. We take more opportunities to tell those around us how much we appreciate and love them. Kirk made the comment one day, "I have really worried my parents. They tell me they love me every time they talk to me." It wasn't that they didn't say this to him in many ways, it was just a lot more often!
So, here we are. Kirk's back is healing. He is back to work, even though it is light-duty, full duty is just around the corner. The pains have lessened. Sleep is improving. And soon, we hope, he will be able to sleep in our bed instead of the hospital bed. We know that Heavenly Father has given us a multitude of blessings. We just don't want to forget them.
This, I am sure, is another lesson we need to learn.
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