I remember when I was a young boy being over the top about all things that interested me. Pokemon cards were worth more than gold, followed closely by whatever new movies and games were coming out that could be played on my first generation Playstation. I was consumed by playing with swords with my neighbors and couldn’t wait to get home and tell my parents about every little detail that had happened in my day. I’d ramble on and on about things that honestly, they probably didn’t care about. I was so consumed with the small pleasures that life handed to me at the time, and I specifically remember being whole-heartedly satisfied with them.
Switch gears with me a little and jump ahead about 15 years. Pokemon cards are still cool, but they are all in a shoebox at home collecting dust. Those movies are still great but they are outdated. The things that once seemed so large now pale in comparison to what I am interested in now.
Just a little over two weeks ago, I was in an accident with Harrison Waldron. We are all aware of the situation so I won’t dive into the nitty-gritty. However, I learned very quickly that although there are good things in life that are important, thrilling and exciting, they truly are dust in the wind when compared to things that matter.
Family, friends and every memory made is what keeps us excited about what the future may hold. The stories you share together with those people and the laughs that come with them are what mean so much, everything else is just dust.
At a time like this, I don’t feel depressed, or angry or even guilty, though grief does have its place. I have, however, been exposed to the immense good that has come from such a dark and difficult situation. My eyes were snapped open when people from all corners of the world sent encoraging messages, raised funds, provided dinners and much more for not just the Waldrons, but also for me and my wife. The sheer numbers of people reaching out to aid the Waldrons is a testament to the beautiful network that is the body of Christ.
This semester, we are going to be talking about a lot of dust. Things that excite us, make us laugh, teach us and help us think in different ways. We are going to talk about other people’s stories, some dating all the way back to the beginning of the United States. We will discuss hard topics and even debates, as well as trivial topics.
Harrison and Hayley Waldron are in the middle of a story that is unravalling before them more and more every day. I have always been a gigantic fanatic of stories that are worth listening or watching, (i.e. Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, every episode of Blue’s Clue’s) and I was always so easily sucked into them. Although so much of what is around us is temporary, there are still stories to be shared like the Waldrons.
For all of you out there who have been praying, giving and encouraging relentlessly let me take the time to say thank you so much. Just like that, you have become a part of a bigger story. A story that I believe resonates above all of that dust in the wind.
