We are Given Today

I love my daughter's gavel club, an affiliate of Toastmasters. It teaches public speaking in a wonderfully supportive environment. Inadvertently, it has become her writing class as well. She can tell by audience feedback whether she has written a coherent, exciting, organized, and enjoyable speech by the effect on her audience. It is one of the best things we do in homeschool.

This week Asherel gave a speech, and did a fine job but it was not her speech that made me wipe away tears. The first speech was by a very polished and poised young lady, and she gave an information packed and beautifully delivered talk on Thomas Jefferson, who almost married her great great great great grandmother. Then one of the less accomplished speakers in the class stood up and went quietly to the lectern. She looked out on the audience with quiet, subdued pain. Pain?

"Yesterday, we returned home from being out with my family. We saw an ambulance at my neighbor's house. Naturally we were concerned. Some neighbors came and got my mom and told her to go over to the house with the ambulance. My parents returned and called us together for a family meeting. My neighbor's son...my friend Alex who was 13 years old had passed away. I would like to do my speech in memory of Alex."

She showed pictures of Alex and described the games he used to love to play with them. She talked about the trampoline they all used to bounce on together, favorite card games, and how Alex was at every party they ever gave at their house.
"He really loved parties," she said. She looked down.
"Now, my little sister, Summer, wants to tell you a little about Alex."
A little girl, probably around 5 years old, came somberly to the front of the silent room. She said, "We used to play drawing games with Alex. This is what he drew for me." She held up a picture of a cartoonish figure, perhaps a Pokemon character. I couldn't quite tell through my tears. She slowly panned the picture so we could all see, and then she and her sister looked at each other. The speaker nodded and the little girl quietly returned to her mother.

We never know how long we will have on this earth. We never know how many games we will have left to play with our loved ones, or pictures we might draw to gladden someone's heart. We know we have today. My prayer is that today I am a blessing and can love and honor God and others as I should. I have been given today and it should not be squandered.

Psalm 118:24
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43 NIV)

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