There are moments that race by and are never thought of again. In fact, that is most of the moments during any given day. And then there are there are others, which are seared into your soul never to be forgotten. In fact, when they later come to mind it is as if the experience had just happened – you remember the particulars with a knowing intensity. The environment, the smells, your clothing, and more are remembered in full detail. When those moments occur, I believe God is directing us to recognize that moment as The ONE Thing that matters.
I recently had one of those sacred moments, when all distractions were whisked away and my focus was solely, fervently and genuinely tuned into The ONE Thing that was right in front of me. My biological father passed away. It was a call I expected to receive for years, and yet when it came I was taken aback. Ours was an extraordinarily complex relationship, one that often left me confused, sad and feeling lonely. And yet I always yearned for a nearness that was simply not to be during our lifetimes.
The day of his funeral, my brother, Shane, and I drove to a rural cemetery in Western Oklahoma. During the graveside service, I cried rivers of tears. As I regained my composure, I stood beside his casket and was able to gently hold his hand. A deep knowing rose up in my heart….we both had done our best. Then a peace that passed all understanding flooded over me. I’ll never know exactly what occurred in that moment, but I can say for certain God gave me an insight I will never question. I’ll be forever grateful I let the busyness of life’s distractions fall away so I could focus on The ONE Thing that mattered most in that moment.
Tisha Tate, Director of Edmond Camus Hospitality
