Of Graduations, Engagements and Fathers Day.

I spent the  majority of this weekend celebrating. I celebrated the end of High School for my youngest sister. I celebrated the engagement of my brother-in-law. I celebrated fathers day for not one, but 2 fathers after having gained a wonderful Father-in-law. This weekend was full of celebration. 

So I have decided that in celebration of those things I would simply take the time to write a few things that I have noticed about each individual thing. 

High School Graduation:

This is a wonderful time in your life when  you are utterly naive about everything you are about to step out into. You spend the entirety of it thinking that you have stepped into adulthood and that you "know" something. The reality is, all of us adults and smiling and laughing and saying "Oh remember when we thought that?" Not saying that I have all the answers now, just saying that I used to think I did and now I realize that I don't. High school graduation is that small time in life where you feel like now you can take on life. The next years in your life will prove that nothing is a simple as it looks coming out of high school. 

Engagement: 

This is a wonderful time in your life when you are utterly naive about everything you are about to step out into. (Wait... haven't I said that already?) You spend your engagement planning for how awesome being married will be. How you will love each other always, and will never fight. You will be the poster children for marriage. She will cook wonderful meals. He'll bring home the bacon and you will both sit down to the dinner table and talk about your days. It will be your "happily ever after". The reality is, all of us married folks are just reveling in your innocence. Smiling and remembering when we used to think like that. Maybe even giving our spouses knowing looks. Not saying that I know all about marriage now. Nor that I have really experienced true hardship yet (jeez its only been 2 years), but I now realize that it is not all princesses and white horse riding knights. Engagement is a time to be wrapped up in all of the romance. The following years will be the true test of your love for one another and God. 

Fathers:

This is where the rubber meets the road. High School Graduation and Engagements are looking forward to a flowery future that you expect to be easy and fun. Fathers day brings you back to the reality. The reality of life. Because fathers day is a day to celebrate what our fathers have done and been to us. And we already know that they aren't perfect. We know that they stumble and fall, but its about how they pick themselves back up, and how they remain in our lives to influence it that makes the difference. Not everyone has a great father, but everyone can have a perfect heavenly father. And watching my Dad, and my Father-in-law strive to be great dads by following their heavenly father provides the best example of how to live life. Day by day, on your knees. 

So celebrate the milestones in life, the fairy tales and the joy and excitement. But don't forget to take the lessons from those who have been there and done that. I for one am glad that I could celebrate all of these in one weekend - it gives me the opportunity to put it into perspective and to know just how blessed I am.