Old friends stopped by yesterday. I know old is a relative term. We are of similar ages. I think they may be younger. Yet, these friends qualify! If one looked at the gap in time since we last saw them, Carli and Whitney have gone from toddler and baby to young adults. They have stored those memories in way that they cannot recall them. It was a first-time introduction for both.
As I gave directions the day before, a question had been put on the table. What will we do all day? Candidly, I had no idea! What would happen? Would we be sitting in a room staring at each other struggling to have a conversation? I tried to guess. I quickly found myself embracing the fact that I had no idea what would happen.
Even as I look back with a short reflection, I am amazed. Our tentative hellos quickly gave way to a wonderful conversation that lasted the better part of a day. It was a wonderful experience that seemed to me more of a continuation than something new. The conversations ranged from history to politics, religion to relationships, and food to passions. It was a wonderful beginning of something that I do not think had ever quite reached an end.
It does not always worked. Sometimes, relationships are hard. An example of this is when “Paul moved in with them [new friends], and they worked together at their common trade of tent-making. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.” (Acts 18.3, 4) You would think that he had support and things would work out. They did anything but.
Yesterday was an amazing day. It is an example of the invitation that you and I have with each dawn. A warning should come with it; the world is a cruel place where individuals sadly hurt others. The potential risk does not mean that one should not be willing. Yesterday is a reminder of what life is like when family/community get together.
