Have you ever deliberately sat down and cataloged all (at least all that you remember or that was significant to you in one way or another) that happened in just a week, all that you have gone through, things that have happened to your friends or loved ones, events across the nation or around the world that were significant to you? Have you ever considered the great "roller coaster ride" that we can experience in just one week? I have to say that the past week was just such a roller coaster for me, for many of my loved ones, and for people I do not even, some of whom have never crossed paths with me.
This past week I experienced one of the most blessed events a person can have, shared in the pain of a friend who lost his daughter in tragic car accident, and learned of the death of my own loved one. Those were just some of the highlights. There were some things that happened that did not directly involve me at all, but had an impact on me and on many others as well. One of those events, one that did not involve me, but had an impact on me and many others, a tragedy, is one that I will write about soon but I did not want to write about it today, on what is the first blog I have posted in several days. With the highs and lows, ups and downs, I suspect that my week was just about like yours, and all of us have stories to tell about last week, just one week out of one month, out of one year of our lives.
Years ago the late Charlie Rich ("Behind Closed Doors," "Rolling With The Flow," et al) sang a song that contained the line "Life has it's little ups and downs, like ponies on a merry-go-round." If we just look at one week of our own lives, we see that that simple line above applies very much to those seven short days, as well as to a lifetime. First, whether we are talking about a week or a lifetime, there are ups and downs, whether or not we choose to look at them as "little." There are sad things, happy things, in-between things, but they can all happen in just those seven short days. But the second truth is this: our week - and our life - goes on, or turns, if you will, just like that merry-go-round, in spite of all the ups and downs.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the past week was the bringing into this world our second grandchild, by his mother, our own second child. There were so many things that could have gone wrong with this pregnancy, a high-risk pregnancy for several reasons. Of course we were concerned for months about this day, but it was coming no matter the risks. Life has its little ups and downs, like ponies on a merry-go-round. The birth of Derek Weston and the health of the mother both during and after the birth were both such great "ups" that the "downs" were overshadowed, though not unfelt at all.
Baby Derek came into the world to his waiting, loving parents and his "big" sister (and his large extended family) on July 26th. Unlike many newborns (just being honest here, not being grandfatherish) Derek was a beautiful newborn right from the start. Yes, all babies are cute after a couple of days, but many look like little space creatures at hour one! But Baby Derek came out looking good right from the start, and looks even better now.
Our first grandchild, Leah (Baby Baby to me) was a little unsure, at first, about what the new little being meant for her. She knew she would be getting a baby brother, but I think she was not prepared for that baby brother to be a pink little crying thing all wrapped in a blanket. I believe she was disappointed to find that her little brother could not jump up and play with her right off the bat! But is appears that in the days that have passed since Baby Derek was born, Baby Baby has (at least tentatively) come to accept him as the newest member of the family. And no doubt he will play with her some day. I am sure on that day there will be a huge fight because "those are Weeyah's toys!"
Like all the rest of the family, I took my turn holding Baby Derek, and just like it was for Leah from her day one, my heart is so full of love for this little bundle that it ached. Really, it almost burst, because it is the same heart that is so full of love for Baby Baby, and now it is twice as full. It is so amazing that such a little soul, with such perfect little tiny hands and feet, will one day be child, then a teen, then a grown man, and all in such a short span of time. It truly is a short time. It seems like only a few days ago that we brought our own children home from the hospital. Older and wiser people told me this would all pass so quickly, and I thought they were crazy. Now I find those crazy people were right. The time has truly flown. Baby Baby is now over three years old, and not really a baby any more. My own Child A and B, and our new son Child B+1, are now grown and productive members of society. But that cliche...it seems like only yesterday!...is so true.
Yes, this past week was surely a week of ups and downs, although by far the ups outweighed the downs. I actually hope for a week filled with somewhat FEWER ups and downs than was the week past, but whether or not that is the case, the coming week will be filled with life's little "ups and downs, like ponies on a merry-go-round." That merry-go-round would be such a bland ride if the ponies did not go up and down as they turned...ita quoque vita
This past week I experienced one of the most blessed events a person can have, shared in the pain of a friend who lost his daughter in tragic car accident, and learned of the death of my own loved one. Those were just some of the highlights. There were some things that happened that did not directly involve me at all, but had an impact on me and on many others as well. One of those events, one that did not involve me, but had an impact on me and many others, a tragedy, is one that I will write about soon but I did not want to write about it today, on what is the first blog I have posted in several days. With the highs and lows, ups and downs, I suspect that my week was just about like yours, and all of us have stories to tell about last week, just one week out of one month, out of one year of our lives.
Years ago the late Charlie Rich ("Behind Closed Doors," "Rolling With The Flow," et al) sang a song that contained the line "Life has it's little ups and downs, like ponies on a merry-go-round." If we just look at one week of our own lives, we see that that simple line above applies very much to those seven short days, as well as to a lifetime. First, whether we are talking about a week or a lifetime, there are ups and downs, whether or not we choose to look at them as "little." There are sad things, happy things, in-between things, but they can all happen in just those seven short days. But the second truth is this: our week - and our life - goes on, or turns, if you will, just like that merry-go-round, in spite of all the ups and downs.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the past week was the bringing into this world our second grandchild, by his mother, our own second child. There were so many things that could have gone wrong with this pregnancy, a high-risk pregnancy for several reasons. Of course we were concerned for months about this day, but it was coming no matter the risks. Life has its little ups and downs, like ponies on a merry-go-round. The birth of Derek Weston and the health of the mother both during and after the birth were both such great "ups" that the "downs" were overshadowed, though not unfelt at all.
Baby Derek came into the world to his waiting, loving parents and his "big" sister (and his large extended family) on July 26th. Unlike many newborns (just being honest here, not being grandfatherish) Derek was a beautiful newborn right from the start. Yes, all babies are cute after a couple of days, but many look like little space creatures at hour one! But Baby Derek came out looking good right from the start, and looks even better now.
Our first grandchild, Leah (Baby Baby to me) was a little unsure, at first, about what the new little being meant for her. She knew she would be getting a baby brother, but I think she was not prepared for that baby brother to be a pink little crying thing all wrapped in a blanket. I believe she was disappointed to find that her little brother could not jump up and play with her right off the bat! But is appears that in the days that have passed since Baby Derek was born, Baby Baby has (at least tentatively) come to accept him as the newest member of the family. And no doubt he will play with her some day. I am sure on that day there will be a huge fight because "those are Weeyah's toys!"
Like all the rest of the family, I took my turn holding Baby Derek, and just like it was for Leah from her day one, my heart is so full of love for this little bundle that it ached. Really, it almost burst, because it is the same heart that is so full of love for Baby Baby, and now it is twice as full. It is so amazing that such a little soul, with such perfect little tiny hands and feet, will one day be child, then a teen, then a grown man, and all in such a short span of time. It truly is a short time. It seems like only a few days ago that we brought our own children home from the hospital. Older and wiser people told me this would all pass so quickly, and I thought they were crazy. Now I find those crazy people were right. The time has truly flown. Baby Baby is now over three years old, and not really a baby any more. My own Child A and B, and our new son Child B+1, are now grown and productive members of society. But that cliche...it seems like only yesterday!...is so true.
Yes, this past week was surely a week of ups and downs, although by far the ups outweighed the downs. I actually hope for a week filled with somewhat FEWER ups and downs than was the week past, but whether or not that is the case, the coming week will be filled with life's little "ups and downs, like ponies on a merry-go-round." That merry-go-round would be such a bland ride if the ponies did not go up and down as they turned...ita quoque vita
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