Reuniting with friends that share a common past is always fun. We know we have made it, so the fear of the unknown missing. We see things from a different perspective, often sharing the gift of understanding. Our blindness then has given way to fresh insights that only come with time.
As everyone flew off in different directions, one could assume that the physical separation would be an obstacle in staying connected. It can be an excuse but it does not need to dictate how the story lines unfold. Even before the age of social network sites, instant messaging, and mobiles, friendships transcended distance and time. When I am told that after “they landed in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila got off and stayed,” (Acts 18.19) I know that their relationship was not over. It continued, on some levels closer than before.
In the course of a recent reunion with friends, I could hear the whispers of others that were not there. Their voices spoke across time and distance. I heard whispers of love and caring. I listened to timeless advice. I felt the reality of friendships that never ended.
You and I are part of an incredible family. We are able to walk together, even in absence. We are able to support each other, when we are together and as we are apart. We can take the time to reach across and stay in touch.
Being connected is always a choice. I was reminded of how my grandfather left a young child with great memories. I found myself in a lover’s embrace through a picture unseen for decades. I sang songs of old and lifted a prayer for a friend who was not with us.
I will board a plane today and travel alone. I can walk by myself or let others walk with me. I can hear their willingness to be with me. What happens next will be the outcome of my choice. Staying connected requires my participation. It is more than a tweet or facebook update. It is an act of the heart.
