Lessons Learned

Aiden Brann Wilson

Came home from a couple of days with family in Middle Georgia including the most awesome baby in the world (my grandson Aiden), to find that one of our Airedales had shredded the picture of MY third grade class. And before you start, it was not on a stone tablet or a clay one for that matter. It was a black and white picture of me way back then. I was planning on scanning it and then taking a copy and showing it to my present third grade class - just for shock value.

Now it's a puzzle project.

You know, years ago I would have been upset about this.

Not now. Not after looking into the eyes of the future third grader in Warner Robins and having the chance again on Monday to teach a room filled with third graders.

I remember what the picture looked like with fondness. That was a great year.

But I have the chance to help make my class at Eglin something the present day third graders will remember when they are my age.

And I got the chance during the past two weeks to see Aiden right after his birth, watch him grow, and hold him and love him. Something I will NEVER take for granted.

So the lesson friends is this. Save your passion for things you can make a difference in. Reserve your tears for those things you care about, passionately work to affect, that don't grow and change.

If my past gets shredded, I'll just embrace the future more.

Maybe that's what God had in mind.

...focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Phil 3:13-14 (NLT)