Today is a special day for us. Maybe special is not the right word but somehow today it fits. Two years ago our, then 4 year old, daughter was burned in a horrible accident at our home. I know none of us will ever forget that moment as a whole, or the searing pain in your soul. The shock that takes your mind and body months to recover from and the wave of strong, severe emotions that come without warning.
Last year we saw fit to take all the kids to Disneyland and celebrate the whole week away. It was perfect.
This year my husband and I both decided to keep it low key, not even mention it. It felt like a good idea at the time.
But the more I sit here today, this two year anniversary of the most horrible day of our lives, I wonder...who does that help?
It doesn't help us. It doesn't help our kids. it doesn't help other burn survivors. It doesn't help the people who saved our daughter's life. Really, it is a shady effort to put it all aside and act like it didn't happen. Now, some of you may be thinking but why? Why bring it up? Why remember? Why talk about it?
Here's why.
My husband and I are building a legacy.
I have never been the kind of person who does not think ahead. My children will know why I married their dad, they will know the past I have from my childhood, they will know I am a Christian and I will never not be a Christian, they will know why I believe what I believe and how I have seen Christ's love for me and others in the darkest of times. Obviously some of these things will wait till they need to know but my life is a story and the bad stuff is part of the story.
The bad stuff is PART of the story...NOT THE STORY.
The reason I can now see July 2nd as special is not the accident, it will never be, but it is what came of our family after. The pain we saw, the tears we cried together, the prayers that were said, the sleepless nights, the unknown...it all led up to now, the joy, the laughs, the prayers of thankfulness, the walking through the kids rooms and quietly giving them all a kiss on their cheeks while they are dreaming, the bright future.
We now know we can get through anything.
Not everyone gets the chance to share and show their faith to their children, not everyone gets the chance to say "horrible things happen but we will move forward, we will grow stronger and we will be blessed."
Not everyone gets the chance to talk to their grown children or their grandchildren when they are going through their worsts and say "remember when.........we made it. If we can do it, you can do it."
So here it is. We have all gone through something. Maybe it was something so bad they could make a movie about it, maybe it is something you will never share with a soul, maybe it was recent, maybe it was decades ago. Remember that you can bless others through your story. Remember if you are a parent, children are watching your every move and they soak everything in. Remember your attitude through a crisis can change someone's life forever. Remember to search for the blessings Remember year by year, month by month, day by day you are building a legacy.
Be a blessing.
