If…….

“Tales of Tomorrow”

Connie Samaras

For your consideration……

For the second day in a row, I was given a song with a childhood memory as the  example for the message.

The childhood memory was of my great-grandmother. No doubt you are conjuring up sweet grandmother images of your own right now. Good, I’m glad. Because this memory is not one of those.

My great-grandmother was the most selfish, materialistic person I have every known. She was just not a nice person. It never ceases to amaze me at how she was able to bring kind and loving people into her world. And her two daughters were wise wonderful women.

But there are no coincidences. God does not make mistakes. The people in your life play the role you need for your life lessons. And today my great-grandmother is the contrast we need for our message to the song ….

If Tomorrow Never Comes lyrics
by Garth Brooks and Kent Blazy

Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch her sleeping
She’s lost in peaceful dreams
So I turn out the lights and lay there in the dark
And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel
About her in my heart

If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she’s my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face the world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes

‘Cause I’ve lost loved ones in my life
Who never knew how much I loved them

Now I live with the regret
That my true feelings for them never were revealed
So I made a promise to myself
To say each day how much she means to me
And avoid that circumstance
Where there’s no second chance to tell her how I feel

If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she’s my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face the world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes

So tell that someone that you love
Just what you’re thinking of
If tomorrow never comes

This is really a sweet beautiful love song and you are probably wondering how it fits in with the great-grandmother I have described. Here is the rest of the pertinent story.

My grandmother, Estelle, broke her engagement to “Benny” when she met and eventually married my grandfather. Her mother adored Benny and was furious with my grandmother. So…..she married Benny herself. Yes, this was quite the scandal 100 years ago.

Now comes her problem. Great-grandmother had lots of money and she loved it. It was her everything. So she fretted and stewed every day of her life that she was going to die and Benny (who really was a nice man) was going to get it. They had a child together, so she plotted and did everything she could to insure that all of her money and stuff would go to her son and not her husband. But it was all for naught. Benny died first.

All that worry….all the planning…..all that fretting….all those moments were wasted.

So today’s message is simple. None of us know if we have a tomorrow. So do not waste today. Make sure everyone you meet is left with the feelings and image of you that you would want them to hold forever. Be the person you are meant to be.

That is the HOPE. And so it is.

Bit by bit, piece by piece, HOPE by HOPE action steps anyone can take…..

-Meditate…..be in constant touch with your authentic self.

-Drink lots of water.

-Get outdoors and take in at least 10 deep breaths.

-Go for a walk or get some other exercise.

-Be generous with your words, hugs and kisses.

What made me smile yesterday……

-A lazy sleep in day.

-Good reading.

-Martha dropped off some of my new favorite hand soap. Thank you, Martha.

-A long talk with Jody.

-My Alex.

Love, Blessings and Gratitude,

Chris