M and I just returned from a (slightly extended, due to complete failure by Delta) trip back to DC for our friend Brittany's wedding. It was a wonderful time to catch up with friends, spend some time relaxing and not, well, really do anything (minus the whole wedding coordinating part. Minor detail.)
And when we finally touched down last night, I thought to myself that- as much as I hate to admit it- Michael W. Smith might just be right. Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them... (everybody now!) The ladies and gentlemen we spent our weekend with are people that we haven't seen- in some cases- in nearly a year and, in other cases, in a few months. And yet-- these are still mostly the people (outside of our families) who know us the best, who love us the most and who we hope to continue to foster friendships with for years and years to come.
And then something else hit me: this group, this community, is truly a gift. It's not just about having fun (though I think riding around with his friend in the cop car might have been one of the highlights of M's time in DC)...it's about rejoicing together, weeping together and ultimately sharing life together.
Of all the things I miss about DC, I can honestly say that this community I'm describing is what I miss the most. Don't get me wrong, we have a fledgling little community here in Chicago- but man, oh man, I don't know if I ever realized how great I had it. And yet, more than ever before, I also realize how important it is; to have people there when you're hurting, there when you're rejoicing, to spur you on towards love and good deeds and sometimes say those hard words to you. At the heart of it, I believe this is what we were created for ("No man is an island" ring a bell?) I believe that deep- and often suppressed- inside all of us is a desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, to be loved and encouraged, to mean something to others and to have others who mean something to you.
I am so, so thankful for these friends and the others (college roommates, amazing Florida friends, pastors who love us) who are important actors in our lives and who- we hope- will continue to provide this important thing called community moving forward.
This doesn't mean I'm now a Michael W. Smith fan.
amen.
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