The Morning After

Two weeks ago I became a grandpa. Yesterday I became a "former bishop". And shortly I will leave my current employment as I begin the next leg of my professional journey. The end of June we will move to a new town in a new state. The experience of waking up the morning after important changes in life is one worth noting. Others have helpfully suggested how I should or might feel about these important events. I'm still figuring out how I feel about change in general but do have some thoughts accumulated the morning after a couple of these events.

The morning after becoming a grandpa, my first waking thought was that now I am married to a grandma. Yikes! I realize that this means my lovely bride is now married to a grandpa but somehow it felt to me that I was the one that got older while she stayed the same age. My image of a grandma is viewed through the lens of my own experience with my special, old-fashioned grandmothers. They were fun, energetic older women who had long since raised their own children. They were spunky with energy to spare while playing with me as a boy, had endless patience with me as I went through the awkward middle school years, and were there to dispense white haired wisdom as I moved from teenager to adult. For as long as I can remember they seemed to be much older and wiser than I would ever be. So, as much as I have always loved and admired my grandmas, I never in my wildest dreams ever imagined being old enough to be married to one.

I remember once when we called one of my grandmas to wish her well on her 88th birthday. The daughter who just made me a grandpa was just a tiny girl then and she asked my grandma, "How old are you?". "I'm 88 years old, sweetheart" grandma replied, to which my daughter exclaimed, "WOW, that's old!". My grandma chuckled as she always did. The morning after realizing I am now married to a grandma I think I felt a little bit like my little daughter did. Wow!

After being released as bishop a number of people asked how it felt. Some suggested I should feel relieved while others mentioned the inevitable let down to follow. I just went home from Church afterwards, took a nap and then hung out with my family. It was great! One of the new counselors stopped by later in the afternoon with his kids and some "thank you" cookies. I asked how his day was going and he said he was on his way back up to the church to finish some accounting duties. I smiled and wished him well in his new assignment.

And now the morning after I realize that it is time for me to press forward in my own personal spiritual journey. I need to keep doing the small things that bishops and missionaries have ever counseled people to do- pray regularly and sincerely, study the scriptures, honor sacred covenants, be obedient, be humble, seek inspiration and guidance from Heavenly Father, and continue serving others. I look forward to all of these though I realize that during the transition months to come it will be a challenge to maintain any sort of routine.

But hey, regularity seems to be the perfect goal for someone who's now married to a grandma.