The Arch of Life

  On one of our trips years ago, we went up the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. We sat in seats of a tram system that took us to the top. The seats jerked a bit sometimes to level us as we went up. When we got to the top we looked through the windows at the land spread below.

   Life is like going up the Gateway Arch. Time flows along at a steady pace and sometimes there are jerks that adjust our position as we go along. We adapt to the change and continue on. Some of these "jerks" or reality checks are

• the day a child enters first grade
• the day a child gets a driver's license
• a silver wedding anniversary
• a child's wedding
• the first grandchild
• the youngest child is married

    Every stage of life had its challenges and blessings. The first ten years of a child's life were my favorite age of children. They are so interesting and have unique perspectives. Those years were soon gone forever and our children reached the troublesome years of figuring out how to be adults. Life became more difficult as family members had different school and work schedules. The house was full and teaming with activity. That reduced as the children married.

    Then the youngest child married and left home. We were empty nesters, back to where we started with just the two of us. It seemed unreal that our children were all grown and gone. They had taught me that I didn't know as much as I thought I did when we started out. In spite of my ignorance and failures, they became decent, responsible adults. 

    Life chugged along and we enjoyed being seniors with the freedom to pursue the things we enjoyed that we didn't have time for when all the children were at home. After we reached 70 it became obvious we were slowing down. It was time to retire. Upkeep on the place and volunteer work would keep us busy. We welcomed and enjoyed the change, living in the glow of the sunset and overlook of the past.

  The little jerks of coming down began again as our bodies started doing more than creaking. Parts were worn out and needed to be fixed or replaced. But we went on, looking back over the years behind us as if nothing was changing until one morning Leroy had an ambulance ride to the hospital.

   Suddenly we were faced with all kinds of possibilities for the future. Would he recover? Would he ever be well enough to come home? If not, then what? Would he need to be in a nursing home? We have lived in this house 58 years and it is the only home our children and grandchildren have known. Is it time to downsize and move? If so, where? We always knew we won't live forever but it was out there somewhere beyond us, not now. A serious illness suddenly brings the possibility to the forefront.

    Thanks to God who answered the prayers of the saints and the skill of doctors, after a week in the hospital and two weeks of rehab, he is able to return home on Saturday. We're back on the ground and going on. All the scary life-changing possibilities have been postponed for another time. We will have to face them eventually, but when the time comes God will show the way just as He did this time.