In the darkest night, sometimes joy explodes. We sat and watched the fireworks, as the children played nearby. Our conversation drifted back in time. Suddenly I was in Grade 6 again, and school was done.  Our family was on the road to Disneyland and other exotic destinations for a child. We sat there in the dark remembering as the sky filled with a bright orange moon rising, Mother Nature flickered lightning behind us, and human hands set off a spectacular display of fireworks for half an hour.

I knew that my father had worked hard to give us the privilege of an annual summer vacation but that year he had outdone himself.  The blessing of my father’s labours came to me once again as my friend and I were creating new memories for her children that would hopefully let them know how much she loved them. I sat there watching the night sky be dazzled with sparks of joy and excitement and my heart swelled. Decades later I was grateful for a trip of a lifetime. The travels that our family did had instilled within me a love for travel that has never  dissipated.

We never know when joy will explode within our hearts. On a dark, stormy night, joy rippled through me, causing me to be grateful as an adult for the gift of a father’s love for his young family. As I watched my friend that night, I was thankful for the memories she was creating for her kids, and hoped that one day, they would look back and marvel at the explosion of happiness in their own hearts.

Peace,

Suzanne

Reflection Questions

As an adult, is there a time that you can look back on and see the sacrifice of one of your parents? What feelings does this evoke?

Do you believe that out of darkness, joy can erupt?

Prayer

Joy bursts from a memory,
seeping into the present,
oozing gratitude from a heart
that had not understood
until this moment the sacrifice.
Blessed be God for turning
darkness into light.

Amen.