Seize the Day

At mass this morning we were reminded of a very important teaching to Seize the Day, Carpe Diem. Fr Lope was telling how he hadn't been home in 12 years and hadn't seen his godchild in that time. On his way back from Europe he decided to stop by and meet her, she was so excited to finally meet him. This meeting was captured in a photo that she couldn't wait to share with her friends on Facebook. The next Saturday Fr Lope was told that the little girl had been killed in a car accident. He was so thankful that he had not missed the opportunity to go meet her and how that meeting had brought them both such happiness. I have found that with Ryan I am always putting things off, I'll do that when hes crawling, I'll take him there when hes walking, etc etc and as mums of special needs kids I feel we live in a state of "future" where we are always wondering what the future will hold, how will he progress, what will happen if x y and z don't happen. Although mothers of typical children don't have a crystal ball either they have abit of a road map to follow, school, college, marriage etc etc. The world is their oyster, each little child is full of possibilities and hopes for the future. One of the hardest things about having a child like Ryan is the rug has been pulled out from under you, you have no road map, you are just winging it, and nearly daring not to dream in case you jinx something. There are so many unknowns ........ you can get so caught up in the what ifs ......... but Fr lope reminded me today to celebrate the life we have NOW, to celebrate the little person Ryan is NOW, to live the present with the great gift that is Ryan. The choir sang us out with the words "for I (God) kept you alive before you were born" and for Ryan that is so true, he was kept alive before he was born against all odds, I need to remember that and honor each day with him, his future is already written.