I Am Who I Am

Sometimes I wonder about the imagination of God ... I mean, He's created billions of people, and not one of them is the same as any other one. Seriously, when you think about it, that's just flipping amazing. All the people who have ever been born and all the people who will ever be born are all different ... I'd say that makes God the most creative, imaginative dude ever. Do you ever wonder how He does it? Makes each one of us unique, individual, different? You'd think at least a few times, He would have some duplications ... but not one person is the same as any other one. Not one.

This afternoon, my son Brad came to my office to film a video, a special video to which I'll devote an entire post when it's finished and ready for viewing. Some of my friends at work participated in the film, and to say that it was a humbling experience for me would be a huge understatement. It touched my heart in a big way when I first got to work this morning and several of them came to my desk to tell me how excited they were to be part of the project. As we gathered later in the day, I couldn't help but be aware of the differences of the people who stood waiting for Brad's direction. Eight people who are so very different from one another ... eight people who came together for a common purpose ... eight people who care enough to step outside of themselves and do something big for their fellow man (or woman, as the case may be).

Almost as soon as I climbed into my car to drive home after Brad had packed up his equipment, tears filled my eyes and spilled onto my shirt ... the same tears I fought to hold back as I sat on a chair surrounded by eight amazing, loving, accepting, wonderful, different people. And yes, the same tears I fought to hold back as I stood off to the side of those eight people and watched my son ... as I watched my son work, as I understood my son's passion for this project, as I saw the love in my son's eyes each time he looked my way. For so long, I despised the tears that marked so many of my days, but tonight ... tonight, I welcomed the tears. I welcomed the tears of humility, the tears of gratitude, the tears of love ... I embraced the tears that came from knowing that I witnessed something remarkable today, something that will be etched into my heart forever.

Each person who stood before Brad's camera today taught me a lesson ... and I'm certain it's a lesson I am meant to learn in a big way. God created my friends, God created my son and God created me. Just as my friends are who they are ... just as my son is who he is ... I am who I am. And tonight ... tonight, I know that I love my son and my friends because they are who they are. And I know something else, too ... my son and my friends love me because I am who I am ... not in spite of who I am, but because of who I am. I'm so very thankful that we are people who care, people who share, people who love, people who are walking the path together. And when the day is over, that's all that really matters, you know ... being who we are ... together. 

Thank you, Bradley ... and thank you, friends ... thank you from my heart to yours ... thank you.