One common area is that of dealing early and often with saying goodbye. We all do that in our own unique ways, and for me the easiest way to deal with it has been to make the effort to not live in the past, or another location or relationship, but to attempt to be fully present in the moment and with the people where I am.
This has been a gift, but as I reflected on it, I also realized that it has had the unintended effect of cutting me off unnecessarily from the people in my past. Most people loose track of classmates, neighbors and coworkers after a few years and a few moves. But in today's world that doesn't need to be the case.
Ironically, people in prior generations were often better connected that I seem to be. We have the records of letters sent by mule team, covered wagon, and ships, often taking months to reach their destination. And in them people took the time to share the deep things, along with the mundane. I live in a world where I can write this blog post on my phone and it will automatically be another random update cluttering the inboxes of a few dozen people I have not physically seen, some of them in years. All of you people who have influence, and have shaped
my life in one way or another.
We have a whole set of letters in the New Testament. Some of them replies to letters from others. Peter, John, James and Paul took the time to connect deeply with people not just in the abstract of prayer, but in letters and thought, even though they were not physically present. They valued the people from the past as well as the present, those distant as well as those present.
Part if the reason I don't write often is that I'm an very present in my location. Be that the church the community or the chaplaincy. That is good. But it is no excuse for not keeping you close as well. Don't expect a pony express delivery, but I do appreciate your role in my life, and am going to try to be more consistent in communicating.
