It’s the only the third Monday that my kids have been home from school, but SO much has happened since they’ve been home. It’s only been two full weeks, but it’s been a whirlwind of parties, trips, the HeartStories GNO, and then this weekend, my Grandma moving to Texas from Missouri to begin a new chapter of her life.
It’s been absolutely nonstop AND wonderful at the same time.
This moment of welcoming Grandma into her new space in Texas was a big one for us. This is the first time we’ve had a great grandparent move close to us in their later years. We got to make a welcome sign and be there to greet her with our cousins as she arrived after the long car ride with my Aunt Sherry. It was a day the boys and I will never forget.
It was a long, hard road for her.
After having just moved myself, I honestly can’t imagine the difficulty of packing and moving at Grandma’s age. There are so many decisions to be made, some easier than others. My mom and my aunt each played different roles throughout the process and then did a lot of work together to help get her ready to make the trip. Despite disagreements, frustrations, and sheer exhaustion, they were finally able to get her here. It was a great lesson for me because I felt like it should have been easier for her at this stage in the game. It’s a lesson that apparently, I will need to keep learning for the rest of my life.
Life doesn’t get easier, we get stronger and wiser.
Sure, there will be seasons that are easier than others. But from what I can tell, there is no permanent peaceful valley this side of the grave, where life is always calm, easy, and pristine. There is no endless rest in a field of daisies, sparkling in the morning mist. There’s no blissful smooth sailing on the infinite peaceful sea, taking you out into the sunset.
Life will never be without hard work and struggle, mingled with joy.
The sooner we can internalize that, the better our lives will be. As long as we are human, longing for more, we will be in this state of struggle mixed with joy. We’re wired to desire perfection, but we want it to come easy. The irony is, that it’s in the struggle, we become the people who are wise enough to see that life doesn’t get easier, it becomes worth it.
Worth the long, hard trek to Texas.
Worth the long days and late nights. Worth holding your tongue. Worth getting up, dusting yourself off, and trying again. Worth showing up, even when you’re exhausted. Worth doing, even when you can’t see the final outcome. Worth forgiving, even when they don’t deserve it. Worth not giving up. Worth fighting for.
Your struggle has made you wise enough to see it’s worth it.
You only have to decide to look.
to more love,
Crystal
