Swiftly go the days

A very long time ago I had my first crush. His name was Jim. He was in college, and he was exceptionally nice to this little girl. My dad was his college age leader at church, and I tagged along everywhere. He called me "Love Bug" and the name caught on with others. In fact, hidden in a box somewhere is a very small navy blue T-shirt with the faded glitter of "Love Bug" across the front. I felt treasured by Jim and others in the "Ambassadors" group.

When Jim started dating the beautiful Julie, he still let me tag along, and called us his two girlfriends. He asked me about the boys in my class, and teased me to find out the name of any I thought were cute. And when he and Julie were married, I was a candle lighter in their wedding. I was part of a loving community of young people who served God, and my confidence grew rich because of their attention and love.

Fast forward 30 years. It has been a joy to watch Jim and Julie's family grow up. They have 3 great kids, and tonight we attended the wedding of their oldest daughter. As I watched Jim and his daughter dance the traditional "father daughter" dance, Jeff and Abby sat across the table from me, and the whole picture rushed in on me in an instant. 

Being 7 again and sitting in the A&W booth with Jim and Julie, being a part of a loving community, being a wife and mom, having people in my life to love and cherish. . . and how fast the time flies. I gazed across the table and teared up - and then suggested to Jeff that he and Abby take dancing classes together when she's 13, so that they can do the jitterbug together at her wedding.

I can't really explain it, my brain just jumped ahead to the day my beautiful darling says "I do", and I'm distinctly aware that it really won't be all that long. Someone cue the music and get out the tissue, because, "Swiftly go the days."