A Few Precious Seconds When Everything Fell Together

    I’m about to write about something that can barely even be put into words.  On Saturday, at Texas A&M, our son, a Senior member of the Corps of Cadets led his outfit in their traditional March In into the stadium prior to the Aggie football game.  That was impressive, but that is not what I’m trying to put into words.

    On the curb watching, along with myself and my husband (Aggie Band ’84),  were our daughter and son in law (a past member of the Aggie Corps of Cadets), our parents, both sets, including my Dad, (Aggie Corps ’56) our 15 year old and several thousand other people.  When our son, marched by, his outfit did a special salute to my husband.  It lasted only a few seconds but it was as if in that moment time stood still and yet clicked into place with a depth, richness and grace that is almost too brilliant to look at for long. 

    I can barely put it into words but I’m going to try:  it’s about love–our parents’ love stories, both sets married over 50 years; the love story my husband and I have shared for 30 plus years which started and that same University, our daughter and son in law’s love story which began there as well.  It is the love story of two sets of grandparents who invested all this love and time into their children and grandchildren. 

    It’s about respect.  How many young adults or teens want to honor their parents or grandparents?  How many treasure a long conversation or the chance to salute someone who invested in them?

   It’s about friendship.  We have Aggie friends now for over 30 years; the same friends.  Our stories are all intertwined.  Our real life challenges are intertwined…we’ve experienced engagements, marriages, divorces, death, sickness, job loss and disappointments through the years.  Oh yes, and lots of tailgates, food, wins and losses.

   When I think about those six seconds, when my son said confidently, “Eyes right” and he and his Aggie buddies saluted my husband, it all clicked into place.  We have a deep, rich, blessed life.  It was so beautiful and filled with grace, I can barely find words to describe it.