My life has been pretty incredible…as I work through these short narratives about my life I realize just how much depth and range of experience I have lived. There are these glimpses of periods of my life that I would like to unfold more, and immerse myself in one last time and capture there essence…because no matter the joy and pain they are profound happenings that have shaped who I am…they are lessons and events I would like to share with my children. In reflection I am always drawn back to the journey…the moments before and all the way to here and now…somehow finding the sense to understand that all things happen for a reason. Granted the reason is not always evident and is just as easily influenced by my choices…it’s not foretold by any stretch, but it tends to make some sense afterwards…at least it makes sense to me. It also helps keep me grounded and focused on the immediacy of my own family…taking pause to make sure I don’t make the same mistakes my parents made but also to remind me where I came from…a reminder that nothing is simple and that life’s ‘design’ takes many forms – a construct that can not be preordained. It also reminds me of the importance of recognizing that the experiences facilitated with my own children will have lasting affects – a responsibility not to be taken too lightly…but also the subtle reminder that some pain and suffering is essential not only to make us better people but also help us find a deeper and more meaningful understanding of ourselves. I don’t know what that balance looks like and I am in no hurry to experience it with my children…life will deliver these things in due course without any help from me. In the final analysis though, when my children look back on their lives I hope what they remember is that I was always present and my love evident…that I spoke to them and we conversed about all things great and small…that through the events of our own family they found and embraced their own lessons…and that these things were incredible enough to inspire them well beyond the limitations of their father.
Photo by Lawrence Lewis (2012)
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Lawrence Lewis
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂