The buzzer sounded and the game was over. I don’t remember the opponent or the score, but I remember the feeling. The buzzer marked the end of my high school basketball career. Time had overtaken that part of my life, and I remember walking toward the locker room wondering what was next. It was not a defining moment, but it was a significant one. A phase of life came to an end; another phase was about to begin.

Adult life—it began with the energy of a teenager and the anticipation of a child going into Disney World. A little short on knowledge and totally lacking in wisdom, but energy, agility and courage were the keys to life’s next phase—that is until time overtook that one too. Energy, agility and courage waned, so I began to apply lessons learned by doing what I knew. Next came the coaching phase. Instead of doing it myself I taught others to perform the work I once did. Each of these phases represents the progression in our lives that, at least in some small way, makes a difference in the world.

A phase of life will come some day when no more can be done. The thought of that phase causes me to think of my grandmothers. Both of them lived well into their nineties and both led very active lives; but time finally stripped them of their mobility and they became dependent on others to meet their basic needs. But it was that phase of their lives that they taught the greatest lesson. Neither of them lost their zeal for life; and more importantly, neither of them ever lost their faith in God, their hope for a future, or their love for those around them. Even in their final days, my grandmothers’ lives made a difference in the world. And even today their love transcends the grave.

Now I believe there are years ahead before I reach the stage of life when I will look to others to provide my basic needs. But it doesn’t keep me from thinking about how those days might be. If such a time should come in my life, I pray that my time to make a difference in the world will continue on. I pray that, just as my grandmothers taught me, others will see my faith, share in my hope, and feel my unending love. Then when the buzzer sounds and time has overtaken my life on earth, these three will remain; faith, hope and love. Those make a difference in the world, you know.

But the greatest of these is love, for love transcends the grave.

“You are the light of the world.”