"Maybe I Wasn't Such A Bad Person After All"

"What a little thing to remember for years--to remember with tears."

Recently a friend told me about going through some old family photos with his mother after his father's death. 

Recalling some of the good times they had as a family, they found themselves both laughing and grieving as they reminisced together.

At the end she said, with tears in her eyes, "Maybe I wasn't such a bad person--or such a bad parent--after all."

This caught him by surprise, he said, as he had always thought of both his mom and dad, while imperfect, as being devoted parents.

In a similar way each of us, especially as we age, will find ourselves reflecting on our past with a bittersweet mix of emotions, regretting our failures while cherishing our precious memories. We come to the realization that we will all be remembered for having contributed to both the asset and the debit side of the ledger we call life. As neither saint nor villain, we become ever more aware of our brokenness as well as our blessedness--as human beings trying to both do some good and to be remembered as good people.

Maybe even good enough to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." 

Or at least good enough to be able to say to ourselves, "Maybe I wasn't such a bad person after all."

In the end, by the sheer grace of God, that may have to be good enough.