You know that after a beautiful wedding and a stellar reception at - TopicsExpress



          

You know that after a beautiful wedding and a stellar reception at the Mendon Station yesterday, you would think that there wouldnt be anything that could top off the weekend... but then it happened... Because we were so tired last night to clean up everything from the wedding, we decided to forego church services today and clean up today with my family, my new extended family, and friends. I believe that this was meant to be because the rest of my afternoon was better than anything that I would have learned, and even more important, felt at church... Today, my joy was fulfilled by the power of visits and taking the time to just sit down and listen and talk to family, friends and loved ones... In todays hurry up world people just dont take time to visit anymore... And we wonder what is wrong with this world... My fondest story that I have ever heard, and have learned so much from, came from a funeral I attended many years ago of a prominent and well-loved citizen of my hometown, Mendon, Utah... In that story, the analogy was told by his son of the early days when many in the town had farms and tilled the land.... He pointed out that about half way down the fence line of the fields there would a shade tree. Many of these trees still exist today... Why was there a tree in the middle of the fence line, you ask? In those days, much of the farm work was done by a horse-drawn equipment with a horse or a team of horses, whether they were plowing or leveling, or planting, or cutting hay, or harvesting crops... These horses couldnt go around the field all day long like the tractors can... They need a rest... At times like this it would not be uncommon for the farmer to pull his horses under the shady tree and many times the farmer in the adjacent field would also pull his horses under the same tree to join him.... There, they would stop to rest the horses, take off his hat, wipe his brow, eat a sandwich drink some cool water, and even more important... they would talk... No cell phones, no texting, not surfing the net... They would just talk. Can you imagine just how much progress in the world there would be if people would sit down face to face and just talk... and listen... and talk... and listen??? Today, I was able to figuratively rest under that tree several times today, and listen and talk and listen and talk... It started this morning with a phone call with my sister, who, with her children and grandchildren came up to the wedding yesterday.... We spoke fondly of the previous days events and of our mother and her trials, of our children and many other things... It was good to visit and learn from her this morning. The shade tree visit occurred again after the Sunday clean up, and after unloading the vehicles, and we let our horses rest adjacent to the field with our daughters new in-laws... How precious that visit was today as we talked about the newly formed family from the day before... I reveled in the dialog and learned that we had shared aspirations and concerns in our separate and now combined families. We learned that we have crossed many of the same bridges, gloried in the same joys, and had shed the same tears... The visit was short, but powerful to me. Why? Because we took the time to talk and to listen, and to talk and to listen.... Thank you for that great visit under that shady tree. But my day was not yet done, for a little later in the afternoon, we were pleased to sit under that shady tree one more time as my cousins from the Denver area blessed our house this day with their visit. They came to Utah to attend the funeral of their mothers sister tomorrow and very much wanted to come up to Cache Valley to visit their Auntie June, my mother, and spend some time visiting with her... I was already on overload from the greatness of the previous visits of the day, but oh, how I enjoyed this visit with my cousins!!! Sharing precious experiences they had with mom today was something we all needed today... They were able to spend about three hours with mom and their hearts were so full and happy. We talked of past experiences growing up and special times that were had during those years. I enjoyed listening and relating these stories and it brought me back to those days as if it was yesterday... I learned how important it was for them to come to visit because their parents would always have experiences for them to share when that got here... How important is that in our live this day... especially today... I felt the love of my cousins today. I felt their love for my mom... (their fathers twin)... and even though both my aunt and my uncle, as well as my dad, has passed away... We felt of their love today too... Our legacy it great and their greatness lives on. I cant even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this visit!!! And my sympathies goes to them this day for the loss of their aunt. Thank you, thank you, thank you for that precious visit. I needed that! As usual, I tend to, in the words of my youngest daughter, blog too much on Facebook.... But, it is here that I choose to share my thoughts that tend to be therapeutic to me, and hopefully be of good worth to someone in the world... So tomorrow when you are driving on down a country road and notice a lonely tree about have way down the fence line, let it be a reminder to you to rest your horses every once in a while, sit in the shade of that tree, and talk and listen... and talk and listen.... You will not regret it.... I havent...
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 05:04:53 +0000

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