A Weekend to Remember

This is a weekend to remember.

In the moments between sleeping in, grilling, sporting events, and retail sales, we will remember.

We will remember the people who have shaped our lives. People who taught us how to tie our shoes, to read, to tell time, who showed us who we could become. People who gave their lives so we could exercise freedom, who protected us, who became examples for us to follow.

We may visit people in their final resting places, or in our own hearts and minds. We will remember the time we spent together, the lessons they gave us, the joy and growth they helped us find. We remember parents and relatives, friends and teachers, people who supported us and those who challenged us.

I remember the people who have encouraged me. There is something unforgettable about the moment when another person tells you, “You can do this.” As much as I my own core values sustain me, it is still great when someone else recognizes that you do something well. Each person who appreciates an insight I have had, or how I have listened, is a great memory.

I remember the people who have listened to me. I have learned lessons and found examples to follow when people give me opportunities to tell my story. The people who pay attention and ask good questions help me find the threads that hold my story together. Listening well is a tremendous gift to give someone.

It is difficult, in some ways, to forget when someone does not have faith in me. The key to remembering them well is discovering the truths they can show me.

Gently, deeply, we will spend time this weekend remembering.

Who do you remember this weekend?

How would you like people to remember you?

[Image by Dennis Jarvis]