Strangers From The Future

Here is a thought.

Memories are anchored in the past, companion us in the present, and are undiscovered strangers from the future.

They span timelines and seasons, evoke a myriad of emotions and have the capacity to either strengthen or destabilize our equilibrium. Their effects have been known to be potent, voracious, fractious, calming, encouraging, exhausting and at times even hard to manage, but they are synonymous with the essence of our core natures and are an integral element of who we are.

They thread through our lives allowing us to relive moments captured in time. Sometimes we gain a sense of peace and assurance from them, while at other times we feel distraught or emotionally depleted under their weight. This however is not inherently a bad thing, because they reveal our humanity; a position from which we far too often abdicate, and a truth we regularly deny ourselves, by dismissing our inalienable right to feel, mourn, hope and yes, remember.

Memories remind us of the mutable nature of time, and although we are subject to its unerring passage, we are not beholden to its passing. So I choose to remember, to be mindful of those precious times from the past which were not always considered carefully then, but which are so treasured now in the present.

It has been 25 years since some of the more impactful memories have been indelibly branded in my mind, and I have learned something important in the interim. Don’t live each moment of your life as if it’s your last, but live it as if it’s your first. Always fresh, always new, always pregnant with gratitude, promise and eternal hope.

So I choose to revel in the memories of my son, not only on this day but everyday. Because in the reality of any given moment, they render gentle support in my continued hope for a future reunion.

Isaac Winston Edwards
Sep 23rd 1996 – April 29th 1998