November 21, 2006
NOTE: For those of you who read my first entry in this blog, please forgive me – I had not completed it before it went online! I wrote about car buying and planned to share that I have NEVER bought a car, and I am deathly afraid of the kind of experience I might have since I do not do well with negotiating and verbal game playing. My question to you was going to be:
“What has been your experience in car purchasing and what advice do you have for me?”
Now, for today-THANKS FOR RELATIONSHIPS
Happy Thanksgiving week! I have been thinking lots about what I am thankful for today as I travel from Tampa to Nashville to Seattle to spend the holiday with my son, Garrett, his wife, Ashley, and my two little grandchildren, Gavin, 8, and Kinsey, 5. What I realize I am most thankful for is relationships – my faith, family, friends, clients, neighbors, and even those folks we sit by for short periods of time on airplanes! Isn’t it interesting how these relationships come and go in our lives, sometimes lasting for a few hours and others for a lifetime?
When I was teaching high school English, I found the thought, “Life is made up of many partings welded together,” at the end of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. It soothed an ache in my heart for all those relationships that were either severed because of changes in circumstances (graduations, moves, different paths in our lives) or those that seemed to slowly dwindle away as time went by and lives became busier and busier. What I realized is that all those relationships make up part of who I am as a person today, both those connections that were positive and encouraging as well as those that were painful and heartrending.
I truly believe that God brings people into our lives for different reasons. Sometimes it is to help us through difficult situations we are facing. When our little boy died, several wonderful people were there for me in precious ways; yet, many of them are not a part of my life today. When my husband died and I had just moved to Florida, I developed a friendship with Clyde, a man whom I only met in person twice. Clyde stayed up most of the night because he was dying of cancer and was afraid to sleep for fear he would not wake up. When I was in the throes of loneliness and grieving in the middle of the night, I could always call Clyde for encouragement and caring and support. Several years ago, Clyde died, but I will never forget his gift of presence to me when I needed it most.
Sometimes people are brought into our lives to challenge us, to stretch us and to teach us, and often these relationships, though painful, can be those that are the most significant in our personal growth. One of the closest relationships I have ever had ended abruptly when external circumstances caused a separation. Even though that was one of the most painful experiences of my life, I will always be grateful for what I learned in the depth of sharing that occurred with this person.
Then, we have those friends who are with us for life. I have a friend whom I met in Sunday School at age 3 who has been like a sister to me. Even though we do not talk often, we know we are ALWAYS there for one another. My college roommate is another friend who knows both the good and the bad about me and loves me anyway – and she always makes me laugh. How I treasure the friends who have known me and my family for years and have been anchors in my life.
Finally we have new friends who come into our lives with such joy and hope and help us to make “new beginnings.” Since I moved from the Chicago area, my home of 34 years, to Sarasota, Florida, far, far away from any family, I have been so blessed to have special people reach out to me. On holidays when I have had nowhere to go, someone has always invited me to join their family, and just two weeks ago, I was invited to a lovely formal party by a woman who had just heard me speak once and reached out to help me feel welcome in my new community.
However, the best friends of all are our family members. I just returned from a visit with my favorite Aunt and Uncle in California. They have been my cheerleaders, encouragers, and special friends over all the years I have grown up-they are family I would have chosen! I have had such fun with my kids as they have become more friends than children, and now I have the precious blessing of grandchildren. In fact, I traveled with a HUGE box today which is holding the Cinderella Castle for Kinsey. The truth is that since I am not going to get to see them for the Christmas holidays, I am going to give it to her on Thanksgiving because I want to play with it! 😉
The real truth is that EVERYTHING in our lives can be taken from us – our possessions, our health, our freedom-except for our relationships and the memories they hold for us. Be especially thankful today for all those relationships that have enriched your life.
Please any share special relationships which have impacted your life.
