The Start of a New Story

Some say that life is like a story. You have a beginning and an end and in the middle you have memories – a series of fleeting images that pass before us like a fast-moving film showcasing our lives.

Some stories are epic tomes – filled with thousands of pictures cataloguing a life well-lived. Other stories, like our daughter Gayle’s, are short -- never getting a chance to fully develop -- but leaving us with images that burn brightly in our memory, not soon to be forgotten.

Four years ago, I thought how fickle a thing fate can be. How cruel the image that the first time I would get to hold Gayle would be to watch her slowly slip away and go to God. That we would come home with an empty infant carrier and that the only thing I could lay in her crib was a treasured angel bear given by a dear friend. That bear has remained in that spot all this time as a constant reminder of the angel we have in heaven, watching over us.

Today, however, I remove the bear from the crib to make room for a new chapter in our lives. Today, we bring home little Jack – named after my father and Lason's grandfather. Today, we replace memories of tearful goodbyes with images of happy tears as we take our new son home to fill it with many hours of laughter. Today, we lay our son in his crib for the first of many nights together as a family. And, as I move the bear to the toy shelf, I believe somewhere a bell tolls. Our little angel Gayle has earned her wings. She now can become Jack's guardian angel, watching over him.

During times like these, it is difficult to weave the appropriate words together to illustrate our emotions. So, I revert to a favorite quote, which seems to describe what we have been through these past few years and our hopes for the future.

“If having things turn out the way you wanted them to were a measure of a successful life, then some would say I'm a failure. The important thing is not to be bitter over life's disappointments. Learn to let go of the past. And recognize that every day won't be sunny, and when you find yourself lost in the darkness and despair, remember it's only in the black of night that you truly see the stars. And those stars will lead you back home.

So don't be afraid to make mistakes, to stumble and to fall, because most of the time, the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare you the most. Maybe you'll get everything you wish for. Maybe you'll get more than you ever could have imagined. Who knows where life will take you. The road is long and in the end, the journey is the destination.” Mark Schwahn, Just Watch the Fireworks

Today is the start of that journey for Jack. What story will he tell…