Reunions
Jeremiah 31:1 “At the same time,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. …. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…..
Song of Solomon 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
2017 was a year of many and varied reunions for me. It was lovely, and certainly made me wonder why I’ve let so many relationships not flourish. Relationships need attention to thrive, grow, deepen… and I let many of mine go.
Why was I so busy that I could not exert effort to see and be with? Yes, I know while raising my children and helping my family through several moves, they were priority. And the relationships I let lapse were folks who were also involved in their own lives. We get busy. I get that. But then it seems it gets easy to let things slide.
I remember reading the Clan and the Cave Bear series several years ago. Once a year these clans would travel a several days journey to meet up with other clans, friends, and family. They spent several days visiting and enjoying one another. But they put forth the effort with enthusiasm.
Yet I made no effort for the longest while. Especially when I was no longer working, why did I not reconnect then. My husband died 11 years ago, so I was free to travel and get re-acquainted. But I didn’t. What was I doing that was more important than maintaining relationships with friends and family? I don’t know.
But this year, through opportunities I grasped at the travel and loved reconnecting. It was a wonderful time seeing these folks and reliving memories, but was humbling and shaming to realize I had let so much important time pass before visiting with them again.
My first reconnection was going to Ireland and seeing cousins again. We had a wonderful trip, my sister and I, and it was great to share the trip with her.
In late September, one of my sons and I went to Pinehurst area in NC and met with a couple of friends we’d known and loved dearly while we were living in Germany. Except for Facebook, much of those relationships had waned. But one of the friends was traveling from New Zealand, and we met at the other’s home in middle of NC. We had such a lovely, laughing reunion.
My next big trip was to go to Vermont for a family reunion. I had not seen many of these cousins in twenty years. So much time had passed. I traveled from Vermont to Maine to see some friends I had not seen in forty years. Along the drive I kept wondering what had kept me from seeing all these important people sooner. After all, I know how short and sudden life can change or end. So what was my delay?
Bottom line is selfishness, I think. I was content doing whatever, and just kept on moving along that line and not varying. Stuck in my own kind of rut, actually. Yet, once I reconnected, I realized how important seeing these people were, how my heart lifted and was warmed, and have determined I won’t let so much time pass before the next time we are together. I may not be able to see them all yearly, but I will try to. Trips to Ireland may have to be every two years, but I am going back soon.
Relationships are too vital to let grow cold. I won’t do that again.
Thank You, thank You, God, for giving me the opportunities to renew time and memories with special folks who made such an impact in my life. This has been an endearing year seeing these wonderful people.
They are all woven into who has myhelped to develop me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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