Joyful Moments

Over Christmas, I spent peaceful time with my family. On Friday, I met not one, but two good friends, one for lunch and one for dinner. These people have been the warp and weft of my life for forty years and more. They are my context. They have seen me at my worst, and always believed the best of me and dreamed of better things for me. One of the great things about getting older is learning to appreciate the joy in simple things, like family and friendship. On the day we die, the only question is: Did I love well? Did my family and friends know how much I valued them? There are no pockets in a shroud, so the only currency we bring with us is the value of the life we have lived. Were we kind to the animals and the earth? Did we leave the world a better place? Did we bring more light into the darkness? Did we value the joy of being loved and accepted for who we really are, first by ourselves and then by our close kin? That is where life’s true treasure lies, in the field of the joyful and grateful heart.