The Dance

This morning as I was driving to the grocery store, the song "The Dance" by Garth Brooks came on the radio. This song has been around for awhile, and I have heard it many times. But I never really paid attention to the lyrics...or had reason to pay attention to the lyrics. This morning, I listened...to the music AND the lyrics, and this song hit home.

"And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance"

I'm glad I didn't know...I'm glad I didn't know that our time with Henry would be so limited. I wouldn't have wanted to spend that time counting down to him getting sick and leaving us. I'm much happier that we spent that time living and loving. Because once we knew he was going to die, everything we did, every memory we made would have been tarnished with that knowledge. And instead we made amazing HAPPY memories that we can carry with us now.

Then there's the chance we could have missed the pain, but that means we would have had to miss the dance. Losing Henry caused a pain that I didn't know was possible, and that I wouldn't have thought was survivable. But having Henry...carrying him for 9 months, caring for him for 7 more...I wouldn't trade that for the world. I wouldn't even trade the pain, because the pain means that Henry lived, and that he was loved.

"For a moment, all the world was right..."

And I carry that moment...those moments...in my heart forever.