Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Thanks for Friends

Ecclesiates 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.

Being the daughter of a full time church worker and then following into that same full time church worker field has placed me in a position where moving periodically was and is at times the norm. In fact, looking back on my childhood, the longest I was ever in one place was seven years. I have met, befriended and then left behind more friends than I can even count as my family moved from state to state. Don't get me wrong, while I have written about it so easily in the sentences above, there was nothing, at the time, easy about it. Leaving your best friends behind as the car, loaded with all of the imperative road trip items, bounced down the road was coupled with tears of sadness and anxiety of what new places and people lay ahead in the new town.

Having felt the pain and sadness of leaving friends behind so often in my life, I tend to tentatively enter friendships, and at times keep people at an arms-length away to protect myself from the inevitable sadness and pain associated with moving away. The table was recently turned however when one of my dearest friends announced that she would be moving. Immediately my thoughts were selfish ones filled with sadness and hurt that she was willing to leave me behind. And yet, as we sat in the restaurant, tears precariously wavering on my eyelids, the verses in Ecclessiates popped into both my heart and my head. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather..."

I cannot say that the feeling of sadness of losing the daily banter and interaction between Robin and I has gone away. In fact, at times, it feels overwhelming to me. However, I have two choices. I can begin mourning now for the upcoming loss of this aspect of our friendship now placing a negative connotation on every interaction we have between now and when she moves. Or, I can celebrate with her this new adventure of finding a new home and rejoicing with her in the fact that she will be again close to her family. I would prefer to celebrate with Robin just as I have over the last five years the joys that life has given us knowing that God placed her in my life for the time he did, for the experiences he wanted for me all along knowing in his infinite wisdom that this day was coming.

Thank you God for the blessings you have given me through my friend. Thank you for the times we mourned together and for the times that we laughed. Thank you for the times that we sang so horribly off key and for the time that we danced. Thank you for the blessing that she has been in my life. Be with her in this new adventure and please dry the tears of sadness as only you can. Provide us both with peace and comfort. Thank you Lord. Amen

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