Warm Memories Never Wear Out the Welcome in Our Lives

We’re all travelers in this world. From the sweet grass to the packing house. Birth ’til death. We travel between the eternities. Prentice Ritter

By Rich Kozlovich

It's the end of the year, and the holidays are upon us, and presumably people are spending time on spiritual reflection and family.  I'm now 76 and as I've grown old I can't help thinking of all those who I've known and loved for all of my life who've passed away, and I do so quite often with sadness, often with humor, but most importantly, with warmth.

Time passes, a generation comes and a generation goes. 

I often have the feeling the foundation and structure of my life is crumbling away, and it is, for me as it will for everyone.  Just knowing they're not here any longer gives one a feeling of isolation.  I've often sat and talked to my wife about the people we knew for decades who've passed away, and as I've said, in all these cases with humor, sadness and warmth.  All of whom are missed.

Family is with us because they're family, and that familial affection binds us together, and when they pass the memories remain, often brought up with laughter.  My great grand mother was one of the real characters in my life, with unforgettable tales to regale.  If there's such a thing as bold gene, she had it! In spades! Those memories also bring up the sadness over their passing.  

We're born with family, but friends are chosen.  Old friends don’t just appear, they became friends because they were a part of the cycle of our lives that stood the test of time.  There are friends, and then there are friendly acquaintances, who some refer to as "fickle" friends, but I think that's unfair, however, how do we decide whether they're friends, or just friendly acquaintances?

When things go bad in our lives, and they will, true friends will be there for us, standing solid in the test of time.  Friendly acquaintances will be "too busy" to help.    That doesn't make them bad people, it doesn't make them "fickle", they're just friendly acquaintances, nothing more and nothing less.  We can't expect much from them, and we shouldn't expect much, because no one owes.  Enjoy them, but don't expect too much from them and you won't find yourself disappointed, and don't bring them into your circle.

We should carefully decide who we admit into that circle of friends, and that number will be small, but once that decision is made, we should for all of our lives plant seeds of friendship, loyalty and affection, watching the seedlings of that effort become shade trees of comfort against the searing heat of life’s troubles for everyone in that circle. 

As we grow older, one by one, our friends and our family pass away, and we’re deprived of the shade and comfort of their existence.  Their passing becomes one of life’s terrible sorrows.  But we’re left with warm memories, and warm memories never wear out their welcome in our lives.  

Warm memories never wear out their welcome in our lives.

Over these coming years try to create as many warm memories with your friends and family as possible, it makes life so much nicer.   For those who celebrate, I wish you the happiest of holidays.  For those who don't celebrate, I wish these days are equally as happy, filled with warm memories that will stand the test of time.