Her little hand slips perfectly into mine. She no longer wants to be carried but longs to walk freely of restraint – something I am not yet comfortable allowing her to do. I love swinging arms. She knows I do, and as we walk into Ingles, she starts the normal fun movement of our arms to which I smile.
“I really love you, Nonie.” She says it so spontaneously and unprompted it takes my breath.
The words penetrate my soul taking me back to younger years with my children; even further back to years of babysitting; even further back to my own grandmother. Love transforms space and time. It is a language everyone desires, but not everyone has. It is an emotion we do not have to live without, but many of us choose to do so.
Her laughter is contagious. There are times when I just jump into the rhythm of her belly chuckle because it makes me lighter and lifts the junk of life off me. If I could put her in a bubble, I would. If I could tell her that life will not harm her, I would; but I would be giving her information that wasn’t true.
I’ve often heard people say, “You can’t take it with you when you die.”
They are correct. All the money, the cars, the homes, the vacation homes, the designer bags and shoes we accumulate as “worth” will simply be items in an estate sell the day we close our eyes never to open them again here on earth. But there is something we do take with us. An investment that is far greater than any tip from Warren Buffett or 401K or financial portfolio – it is the investment in people. Relationships – they go with us.
I would much rather cross the finish line and hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant, there are _______ number of souls here because you chose to love and invest in people; than, well done my good and faithful servant, your 401k looked amazing. Your children are now fighting over it. That vacation home? It’s on the auction block. And the new car…hate to tell you but it was stolen at your graveside funeral.”
Nothing is more valuable than showing the love of Jesus Christ to people – invest in people – love people as He loves people.
Ever listen to Clark Howard? His byline is – Advice you can trust. Money in your pocket. I love the tips he gives. Great website – good information.
In line with good ‘ole Clark: Nora Note’s – Advice you can trust. Change in your pocket – life change that is. Invest in people.
