Up, Up and Away

Tonight, after the little ones were in bed, I went for a walk.  It was right around dusk and the weather was amazing.  The view from our little development overlooks the entire Utah Valley.  In one glance, I could see budding trees, green grass, the blue lake and beyond that, amazing mountains still coated with snow!  It was breathtaking.  As I was walking, I noticed 3 helium balloons had been released into the sky.  They were attached together and just made me ponder.  They were so free!  They floated slowly into the beautiful heavens, with hardly a care in the world.  I pondered at how I felt like those three balloons, on this particular evening.  Amazing how a good day with a difficult situation can make you feel as if all the cares of the world have been lifted!  Compared to how heavy and dark the load was a week ago, those balloons reminded me of how good things can turn and change.  After pondering this for a second, I looked back towards the balloons, but they were completely gone.  They had disappeared into the vast sky's and no trace of them was left behind.  I searched and searched the sky, perhaps because it felt so fleeting, but there was no sign.

I continued to ponder this, and again,  I felt inspired by their brief moment in the sky.  Perhaps this is life.  The challenges come and they can feel so overwhelming.  We wonder how we will ever get through it.  Life seems unfair and relentless.  And then, all it takes is a moment.  A smile, a look in the eye when you know your autistic child is really seeing you and everything lifts! The joy is exquisite, the moment is priceless.  You feel on top of the world and like anything is possible.  You rejoice in the work it took to get to that moment, you feel the strength you didn't think you had, and you know you will get through another day, another month, a lifetime.  And just like those balloons, those moments are fleeting and you return your feet to the ground, put your head down and get back to work!  However, those little moments are what make it all worth it.  You continue to hope, you continue to dream and you live for the next smile, the next gleeful giggle and that joy once again.