Bittersweet Aftermath

I took this picture while we were at Spearfish Canyon a few weeks ago. Patie and I were walking together and Jim and Grace had gone ahead of us. Patie decided to run to catch up to them. "I do det Daddeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" she shrieked in joy as she bounced down the trail on a perfect autumn day.

As she bounded away from me, I quickly snapped a picture. And then it happened. Those moments that only a parent knows. One where time stands still long enough for an explosion of love in your heart. And in the bittersweet aftermath, you are overwhelmed with the love you have for your precious child. You remember anew that they don't belong to you, and the time you have with them is so very short. You remember that from the very moment they were conceived, God has been preparing them to leave you. You know yesterday they were a small, small newborn, warmly nestled in your arms asleep and tomorrow you will watch their Daddy give them away to another man. You know your time is short and a part of you wants to do all you can to keep them here in this moment forever, but you know God has created them to grow and grow and grow. You know you can't have yesterday back, and moving on to tomorrow and all God has prepared for the future is inevitable. But right now, in this moment, your heart explodes and you know for certain you have today and a sweet memory you never want to forget.

As Patie bounded away from me I knew I would hide that precious moment in my heart, savoring the time that she was just that size, and her small, chubby hands were there for me to hold while we explored on a perfect autumn day.