How long is forever???

Forever... Such a strong word. A word that has so many meanings and dimensions. "To be ever lasting", "never ending" "everlastingly, permanently, always, eternally, immortally, until the end of time, until Doomsday, until the Day of Judgment, on and on, ever, perpetually, always, evermore." I sit here today, the wind blowing and the snow looking as if it may be serious. I think of the many places we use the word forever. We love forever. We have days that seem to go on forever. We swear that our kids take forever in the bathroom.
But in reality, how long is forever? It says it is infinite. "extending beyond measure or comprehension: without beginning or end." That seems like a very long time and yet as we age, it doesn't seem long enough. When we are in love, forever seems so very short. And when our hearts are broken or hurt, we are certain that it will hurt forever.
As always, something brings on my writing and causes me to blog. This morning I woke and was looking out the window at the snow. I shivered at the cold that I knew would greet me when I stepped outside. I suddenly went back to a snowfall that I will relive forever. A snow that I wish could have lasted forever. Sheila and I were married in September of '82. Less than a month later, we had snow on the ground. Living in the Black Hills of South Dakota, it was not unusual to have 10 inches fall in a day. We had come home from a visit and Sheila was a little pregnant with our first daughter, Samantha. Save yourself the trouble of doing the math. Love happens.{smiles} We lived outside of town and had fields all around us. There were old street lamps along our driveway. We went outside and walked hand in hand in the snow. She suddenly leaned forward and grabbed a handful of snow and stuffed it down my back.BRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!. We chased one another and fell in the snow and made snow angels an ended the night perfectly.
Another forever came with that memory. We could not have known that it would be the last time we would run and play in the snow. Ten months later... Sheila was stricken with Muscular Dystrophy. Our life and the snow changed for us "forever."
How long is forever? It is as long as a memory, as short as a day and as precious as life itself. It is the time between falling in love and a snowfall and 24 years of Love. It is an eternity and it is a moment in time. Ever-lasting and magical...