As I drove by and took in the view, I was deeply moved. For a moment it was as if Provo City stood still and all I saw or cared about was this man standing alone in the cemetery starring down at at a tomb and the only movement came from the flag swaying in the breeze. There seemed to be a literal bubble all around this scene. My rush to get to the temple paused. My busy day--my worries and cares seemed small in comparison to this lone man standing in the cemetery. I almost turned my car around to take a picture.
What is it about someone who takes a moment to pause in life and reflect about those who have gone on be for them. This is meant more of a statement than a question. Life is too short to carry grudges. Life is too short to hold hurt feelings. Life is too short to not take time basking in all God's beauties. Life is too short to emirs oneself with "self". Life is too short to walk fast all the time. Life is too short to be in such a hurry that there is no time to wipe the tears of a friend, or to take extra time to kneel and pray. Life is too short to hate or be bitter. Life is too short for unkind words. Life is too short for ugly or belittling thoughts. Life is too short wishing there was more time. Life is too short, with out God...
My Dad introduced me to an amazing little clip that talks about the date on a tombstone. Usually tombstones have the year of birth " " to the year of death " " = 1905 - 1961 . The most important thing on the tombstone is the "-" = (dash). Why?! Because it is not how someone is born or how they died (although how we leave our mortal body can say who we were in the end) the most important thing is how one lives their "dash".
To the man in the park, whoever he was standing there remembering, he must have known that person's "dash"...
Life is too short to not laugh. Life is too short to be rude. Life is too short to get angry with freeway drivers. Life is too short to not say I love you. Life is too short to have fear. Life is too short to have gloom and doom lingering.
Life is too short to not trust God and have faith in Him and His plan.
I love this picture! It isn't even the most amazing shot, I admit. :) I have no idea who the guy is. I don't even think he was playing the guitar when I walked passed. But he, like the man in the commentary, seemed to be caught up in a bubble of pause and reflection. I see this picture and think "ponder". It wasn't until looking at this picture today--when I noticed the words engraved on the bench. -- IN THE ARMS OF MARY --. Someone loved/was impressed with Mary's "dash".
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Life is long enough: to love, to laugh, to play, to hug, to sing, to dance, to listen, to repent, to hold one's tongue, to ponder, to work hard, to reflect, to smile, to pray, be kind, to forgive, to trust, to lead, to follow, to obey, to be joyful, to have fun, to have faith, to honor, to serve, to BE and to DO!
Random, post, I know. But felt I needed to share my moment with a man in a cemetery I never met. But his pause, has caused me pause.
It was beautiful to witness. It was beautiful to be reminded.
"...hear [God's] voice while it is called today..." D&C 45:6
Life is as long as and as good as we choose to make it--if we will choose to live it while it is "called today".
Jesus is the Christ!
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