What can I say but that we feel so blessed. Is it because of our sons' accomplishments? Yes and No. This is only a small part of our joy. We have always felt blessed by our children. From the very beginning we knew what the benefits and blessings of having children meant to us. Through hard times, the children were the ones that helped us feel like life was beautiful. With one sweet smile or one little tidbit of childlike wisdom it could turn our day around. As my mother-in-law has said in the past, "We are a family first." There couldn't be anymore truth to it than that! Every little thing each child has done has always felt like a big accomplishment. One kick of the soccer ball by our toddler, one little poem written by our son, a finished book by a beginning reader, the first beeswax sculpture, a ballet recital, "silent night" sung at Christmas Eve mass when our daughter was 6, a whittled ship made of wood. There are so many memories that spring forth in mind of times when I have felt that parental pride of knowing each and every child is special.When we made the "Dance" slide show from our boys' original song, the photos were a cornucopia of memories. Each and every photo had significant meaning pertaining to our family...a photo of the kids in the car...wasn't just that but a car ride to town while listening to their song for the first time on the radio. The early photos of the children were our reflection on just living life's moments each and every day with no expectations of the future..enjoying the children at every concert...just like one enjoys watching their children play hockey or soccer. The photos outside of the record labels and the two years spent with our producers meant that we were all taking a chance with no looking glass into the future. This journey has been "magical" because with our lack of experience we had no expectations but to enjoy each and every moment.
Yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Family. I love this feast because it feels so human, something that I can relate to on earth. What does it mean to be holy? So many times I don't feel holy but then again our faith is not one of feeling but of doing. So what is holiness? There are so many definitions but really it is being devoted to the service of God. That means putting God first and putting His will first. It means He is the first consideration in all things. Now that seems so much more doable than trying to "act" holy. And when we put our children and others first, we are putting God first. When we humbly get on our knees to pray, we know He is so much bigger than us, that we are not in control, but He is. And when we gather with our families, we know that He exists, that He loves us for He reaches out to us through the hands of our loved ones.
Yes, a picture does paint a thousand words. As we take in the pictures of our lives it is so much more that we can ever put into words. For us, the "Dance" video means that dance of life that precious priceless gift that we all partake in every day. There can be no gift greater or more beautiful than the gift of life.
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