We May Never Pass This Way Again

We were just finishing a lovely dinner at Dandelion Café, in Durango, Colorado. The Mediterranean fare and live music made for such a glorious evening. Everything changed in what seemed like a quick New York minute. The rain came with a gusto and soon all of us outdoor customers were scrambling.

My always-prepared mountain man pulled out two jackets from his backpack. However, the rain was coming down so hard that it only helped a tad. We crossed a few blocks and finally found a tattoo store that had a nice little red brick porch tucked in from the rain. Ben, Chara and I huddled close, watching the sideways rain and people running ever-which-a-ways.

Those next thirty minutes at first felt inconvenient. I soon remember thinking to myself “This is so special.” Making memories at a closed tattoo shop in Durango, Colorado. Soon, the rain stopped, sun came out and off we went back to the condo.

I couldn't help but think of the old song by Seals and Croft “We May Never Pass this Way Again." I remember loving that song in high school and I honestly can’t tell you where all the years have gone. Life. Is. So. Precious.

Vacations are good times to slow down and remember the gift of life itself. Unscheduled. Free. Silly. Goofy. Unfettered. It’s a time to savor the gift of life. Each day is a gift from God. It’s a time to reflect and celebrate the special, unplanned moments and laugh like crazy. It’s a time to pause and give thanks for the memories being created.

Today, I thank God for the gift of life. I want to savor the joy of taking a bike ride, going fishing, hiking for hours, laughing with friends, being with family and huddling in rainstorms. I want to see God all around me…. in conversations, in activity, in silence, in rest. Everything that comes through my day is worth savoring. God is near. 

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

“I shall pass through this life but once. Any good therefore that I can do, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it. For I shall never pass this way again.” Etienne de Grellet.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12