When I was young, I would sit with my grandma and talk to her for hours. Whether it was making cinnamon rolls, fishing or on our way to church, she always had the most amazing advice and words of wisdom. A few years ago, my grandma passed away. However, recently, I have been missing her more and more every day, just wishing I could call her and hear her sweet voice.
A long time ago, my grandma wrote something called "Experience Life." Whenever I am stressed out, I always take a look at this piece of writing to put a smile on my face. I decided I am going to share her writing with whoever is in need of some encouragement. So here it is:
"Experience Life"
Perhaps you were raised on a farm or ranch, or just visited one in your lifetime. If so, your experience watching animals give birth, gardens grow or watching streams irrigating fields of hay, means you have experiences the "Power of God's Purpose" for each phase of life and death.
When you're a small child, you think nothing of the results of the choices that you make. You just think about what "you want," like the animals on the farm or ranch. If they're hungry, they eat. If they're tired, they sleep, not knowing the purpose or reason.
As time goes by, you gather sense and sweetness. You find and understand the purpose of which you must experience life. You have to see many things and many lifestyles, and you must understand God's second nature. You must understand the animals, feel how the little birds fly or know the gesture of which small flowers open in the morning sunlight. To understand the power of purpose, you must go back to unknown trails, and unexpected encounters and partings. Going back to the days of childhood (whose mystery is still unexplained), to illness, to difficult changes, to quiet days and quiet nights with the stars. You must remember giving birth or even watching a child be born.
You must also be beside the dying and experience the bittersweet loss. Memories of love, come and gone. You must be able to forget memories when there are too many, and wait for them to return in a sense of smell, touch or sound. Like the smell of freshly cut alfalfa, the newborn smell of a calf or a puppy or the soft smell of clothes hanging out to dry. The sound of a certain melody, the sound of a baby's cry and the sound of old folks talking and children laughing.
You remember the feeling of when a soldier comes home from war and you see all of the flags hanging across America. You remember the sound of squeaking leather as the cowboys herd the cattle down the mountain-side in the fall. The feeling of nibbling on your fishing line, the smiles of youngsters, the loyal look in your dog's eyes. You remember your mother's prayers and your child's prayers. The proud moments of accomplishments, weddings and graduations.
Your life needs to be a real experience you feel only when you connect to life. When you connect to life, you realize the "Power of Purpose." Each one of us has a deep craving within us to connect to something with substance. I believe that to be love. It changes us and gives us the "Power of Purpose." I believe by connecting to God, he gives the power to experience life, not just to live life.
