My son and I are driving to Meramec State Park on a sultry day. Windows down, Hank the Cowdog audio book streaming from speakers, happiness floating from our throats.
We are traversing windy country roads dotted with homes tucked between tree groves, limestone cliffs covered with vegetation, rolling hills softened by grass and trees. Two hours and one wrong turn later, as well as a stop to relieve growing bladders, we turn onto a stretch of roller coaster road. Not the adult ride, but the dips of the juvenile coaster.
We get about 3 miles down the road and suddenly thoughts, no memories, overtake my brain. Hank and his trying to solve the mystery of the windmill are tuned out as my body stiffens.
Our family had been driving back from Meramec State Park a few years ago, after spending several days together with another family. We had gotten to that up and down stretch of road, about 15 minutes from the park, after tearful goodbyes and jubilant waving of arms, and the man of the house had turned to me and asked why I hadn’t packed anything to drink for the canoe trip.
I was puzzled. I had remained home with the mother and baby and not gone canoeing that year, but I had packed water for the trip.
Then he asked where were the sandwiches?
I told him I had made them that morning and I had tucked them in the lunch for everyone.
He insisted they were not in the lunch. That they had no water or much of anything to eat during the long canoe ride.
His words stung. Hadn’t he seen me making lunch that morning for everyone?
Back and forth words poured unfiltered. Finally, I had set there quiet and hurt and he had sat there angry and hungry from lack of lunch.
The words, tone, and anger sloshed through my mind as I re-drove that road heading back towards the park for the first time since that fight. Suddenly the road had lost some of its charm and sunshine.
I confess I felt anger and then sadness cursing through my veins. And then I remembered that the family had sent an email that evening explaining that when they were packing to go home they had found all this food and the water that somehow had failed to get into the canoes. It was, of course, the missing lunch items.
Smells can bring recall memories, especially of childhood. But so can sight and location.
I thought about how caustic words can be, even when we don’t mean them to be. And I wondered if my caustic words had soured an experience or place for others. How often did unpleasant memories wash over my husband or children because of things I had said to them?
I wondered if instead of sitting in silence that day after the fight about the missing food and germinating our bad thoughts, if we had been quick to apologize and offer forgiveness would my memories be different? I think so. It would have cleansed the self-righteousness between us. Restored our relationship to rightness.
How quick we must be to say we are sorry if we are to avoid silence and moody feelings and the back and forth game of guilt and blame.
If a certain location can remind us of negative words, the opposite is also true. Words of hope, love, and kindness can make a place come alive and color a memory good.
I can still remember standing in the kitchen, hands juicy from cutting up fruit, my mind busy with daydreams, and dad, who was passing through the kitchen on his way outside to one of his never-ending chores, came up and hugged me and kissed me. Then he looked me in the eyes and thanked me for making supper. Thanked me for being his daughter. I won’t forget that. That location in the kitchen is brighter in my memory than the rest of the kitchen.
I want to make good memories. Wash out the bad memories. So as we ride the up and down road to the park, I think of my husband and our awkward first meeting, and how he pushed his brother aside to introduce himself to me. And then in the silence that followed, he was trying to say something funny to get me to laugh, but it was so awkward and his joke was so pitiful and hopeful, and I was so shocked at this bold boy. In his complete nervousness he attempted another quip, this one even worse, that soon we had to laugh or the floor might have swallowed us both. Who knew we would soon be unable to live without the other?
I zoom up a hill and then down a little bit faster.
“Mom!” my son says in surprise.
And I grin at him; Hank is still blaring and my son and I start laughing and the road seems now like a bright beginning. A trail of love.
“The tongue has the power of life
and death, and those who love it
will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21
Lord, help me remember that my words bring life or death. Create good memories or bad. Spread hope or fear. Instill pride or shame.
For Discussion: Do you find memories and words tied together in your life? What are some words that spoke to your heart and brought forth life and hope?
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What a sweet and romantic testimony to this writer’s marriage and relationship with her husband. There is a lesson for everyone in this. I think it is a shame that none of us are personally taught and trained to deal with problems in relationships. Big or small. We are muddling through and need God to give us His help. Sorry, sermonizing. I enjoy this writers thoughts and words very much!
Ahhhh Colleen, you make me want to write more. Yes, most of us are muddling through life and need God’s grace and help. What a blessing it would be if we were taught how to have better relationships and how to address problems.
Your post has a good lesson for all relationships during this strained election season. Praying we would all learn to use our words well, to restore and heal and unite ourselves to the glory of God. Blessings!
Yes, Liz, good point. Words have more power than we think.
Isn’t it amazing how sights and smells can bring back memories? I’m the same way. Something can trigger a memory from long ago, when I least expect it. I’m glad the missing lunches were eventually found; there is a sweet feeling when we’re proven honest. 🙂 But even without that, you’re right that we can make each road a bright beginning.
One person told me that we can choose how we will remember something, and there is a lot of truth to that. Thanks for visiting, Lisa.
I love reading and listening to your stories!!
For me it is Music. Like every time I hear the song Silver Bells. Growing up, my sister would play it on the piano and we would sing along. Music and smells. Then places. I will be somewhere and a picture or scenery will remind me of another place in time.
Thanks, Bliss, Interesting you have an order – music, smells, than places. And yes I did used to play that song, didn’t I? Now that is a fond memory.
The power of the tongue is an awesome thing – thank you for the reminder!
You’re welcome Sherry. I wish I could remember the power the tongue wields more often than I do.