A Time to Honor

Recently, I jaunted down memory lane. It started when I tore apart my home office in preparation for a new printer. If you’re like me, every project leads to a larger and more complicated undertaking. And I take after my father, which means that cleaning always involves pitching, so in the process I make a bigger mess than I started with.

This endeavor was no exception. I sorted through old papers, outdated hardware discs, dried-up art supplies, and a small collection of greeting cards swiftly and without attachment. I attacked the dust bunnies with vigor. Finally, in an effort to unravel a tangle of cords, I reached behind the computer desk and discovered a collection of broken crayons, miscellaneous toys, and other tidbits that I presumed to be worthy of the trash can. As I pulled my hand back and prepared to dispose of my findings, I saw a glint of metal. Although it was severely tarnished and only a fraction of its former beauty, the discovery brought tears to my eyes. It was a silver cuff bracelet—the last gift given to me by my father, who passed away on a May day ten years ago. I thought I had lost his gift forever.

My father raised me on his own until I was nearly seven years old, when he married my stepmother. He and I were extremely close. Naturally I was thrilled with my find. I rejoiced and tried to disregard the realization that I’d come so close to disposing of this treasure. In case you’re wondering, silver cleaner restored the bracelet’s luster.

The memories my discovery spurred tie in with May-June’s Liguorian. The month of Mary includes Mother’s Day, so our magazine honors our birth mothers and Mary. June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, features Father’s Day, so we pay tribute to our secular fathers and Jesus, the Father’s Son.

During this time of year, Americans also salute soldiers on Memorial Day, graduates, and the newly married. These two months are packed full of family and love—a time rife with the potential to create lasting memories. While it may be easy to become consumed and even irritated by the planning and details, I encourage you to relish the opportunity to embrace the admonition presented in 1 John 4:7: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.”