Opportunities

Journal for Christa—

Saturday, summer blew in—quite literally. It was the typical Colorado “spring”: Friday it was winter, Saturday it was summer—which made getting up and going to school on Monday rather difficult. It wasn’t just summer that happened Saturday. Junior-senior banquet also happened. It was the perfect summer night with a crisp, cool breeze instead of an obstacle course of snowdrifts through the parking lot. It was a nice banquet in every way.

We hadn’t stayed for the dance the last couple of years. (There isn’t much ballroom on their play list.) So Saturday, when something came up to which we could do a rusty triple step swing, we ventured out to the edge of the dance floor. (I get a certain thrill out of revealing that we actually do have a real life beyond grading their papers.) 

Driving home, I couldn’t help thinking of Ken and Linda who first taught us to dance—and their current ever-present struggle dealing with Ken’s unexpected and debilitating health condition. I could see them dancing in my memory, and I was glad they learned to dance when they did and glad we took the opportunity for them to teach us.

Opportunities come and opportunities fade. Sometimes, we can’t take them when they come: the timing isn’t right or something else is going on. But often, we let them simply slip through our fingers. I wonder why.

All those plans and desires—why do we let them drift there? A question was put to the “godly girls” last week that asked, “What is something you really want to learn?” I said, “I want to learn French, not just sort of but where I could actually speak it.” Kayla wants to learn to “really cook.” It was fun to hear what they want to learn. (Not one mentioned literature, by the way.)

Opportunities—Don’t let them pass you by. Grab them when they come. What do you really want to learn? I do know one thing: You can’t dance as long as you sit and tap your feet.