The Class of 2010...

I went to the Yr 12 Graduation up at school today. The Class of 2010! It only seems like yesterday I was at my own...the Class of 1988!! I sat with a parent up the back today & we might be sitting together again to watch the class of 2019 graduate - me with my eldest child, her with her youngest!

So much has happened since the 80s...life has certainly been an adventure.

It hasn't gone exactly the way I thought it would go...

Well, if I consider the negatives:
I never thought I would battle health issues or get used to being around hospitals quite so frequently...
I never thought I would have nearly died THREE times (so far) in my life...
I never thought I would experience the loss of innocence taken from me by someone I trusted...
I never thought I would lose my parents before I was ready to say goodbye, in my 20s & with so much left to ask & learn from them...
I never thought I would have to say goodbye to my little twins at 20 weeks & deliver them knowing they wouldn't take a breath...
I never thought I would take care of my hubby - the strong one, who had taken care of me, fight for his own life & battle the horror of Leukaemia...
I never thought my heart could be broken so much before I'd even turned 40...

I can't remember ANYTHING that was said to us at our farewell in Year 12. I think we had a guest speaker. I think there were LOTS of tears. What would I say to those graduating now? What would I say to the me that I was back then?

I think I would say that life is very precious & shorter than you know. I would cheer myself on knowing that I had been through so much already. I think I would say that people, places, things...they all fade or disappear. There are some things that are more important than material wealth, than fickle friends, than career...there is Truth that is unchanging. There is One who will wrap you up & be faithful amid overwhelming grief & horror. There are things that will last for eternity, but they are not the things that most people chase after. The little girl in Year 8 that sat on her parents red lounge & read the New Testament got to know the Living God. Although so many people told you differently THAT was one of the best decisions you ever made. The One you met there has carried you, guided you, helped you, protected you, loved you & blessed you in hundreds of different ways & He continues to teach you...

Life does not always go the way we expect it to. But there are choices we have. There are people we can love on this journey. All of this fades. The shopping item that inspires sits to one side a few weeks later gathering dust. The job becomes, at times, just plain old hard work. When we die what do we leave behind? What sort of lives should we lead? What really counts?

I knew lots of facts & enjoyed the love of good friends back in Year 12. Sometimes I think the Lissy back then was full of courage & hope. I think I was at times braver than I am now. Now I feel more worn down.
I would ((hug)) that 17 year old girl & tell her she was loved by God, & that I was proud of her. I'd tell her to never give up. I'd tell her awesome times were ahead. I'd tell her terrifying times were ahead. I'd tell her that we all have our own path to travel on...but there is much much joy in the journey, & in the end there is only One that we have to answer to. Jesus.