THURSDAY THOUGHTS - The "Love Sponge Concept"

Guest Post:

This past weekend will go down as one of the most enjoyable and memorable ones I have experienced in quite a while. After driving to St. George on Friday night and sleeping at my dad’s house, we gathered at the finish line of the St. George marathon to cheer Nick, my son, across the finish line. His brother, Matt, had never seen a marathon before (even though this was Nick’s 8th) and he was beyond excited. I almost cried when I saw them high five each other along the final stretch. Born 16 months apart, they have literally grown up together so the bonds of brotherhood are strong indeed. Nick finished strongly at 3 hours and 14 minutes and said he had never felt stronger.

After enjoying breakfast together at a local restaurant, we went back to “Grandpa Mo’s” to take a nap and await his arrival home from a Disneyland trip. Here he was to meet his new great granddaughter face to face for the first time. We all watched in amazement as “Grandpa Mo” held little Tamsin Joyce for the first time. Her middle name is in honor of my mother who died 9 months ago. After taking turns holding and burping her, we laid her on the floor on top of a blanket so she could stretch out freely while we studied every move she made in amazement. Her Uncle Matt changed her diaper with great ease (preparing for their baby due in May) after which I laid right beside her as she cooed and tried her very best to tell me a story. I felt that love was absolutely dripping from the walls and I absorbed it like a sponge. We were witnessing brotherly love, love of husbands to wives, parents to children, siblings to each other, along with grandparents and great grandparents to all. I am sure that my mother was smiling down on all of us from her Heavenly home. The beautiful thing about love is the fact that it becomes sweeter when you share it. So we breathe it in, hold it close,  then squeeze it out to share with someone else. I call this the “love sponge concept.”

My mind then wandered back almost four years to the time I heard those frightening words, “You have Breast Cancer.” This same family love and support was there for me then. Thankfully, because of advanced medical technology, family love, support from Lifting Hearts and God’s watchful eye, I am Cancer free, healthy and able to enjoy moments like I had this weekend.

It is difficult for me to express in words the intense feelings of love and family that I experienced during these two days. Just before we left to drive home, my gaze settled near a pillow on my dad’s couch which I gave him well over 20 years ago. The embroidered message on it hit the nail right on the head! It read: “ LOVE….if you have it, you don’t have to have anything else. If you don’t have it, it doesn’t matter what else you have.”

Kathy Christensen