By Michele Laccabue
“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Imagine reuniting with your closest high school friends for the first time in 30 years. What emotion comes to mind? Excitement or horror? Fear or giddy anticipation?
Last year, the idea stirred in my heart that it was time to reconnect with these friendships of season’s past. We were all approaching a very BIG birthday and I thought maybe celebrating this new decade of life together would ease the pain. Would anyone be interested? Would old-school fears of rejection come true? I decided to bravely step out and extend the invitation. Thankfully, I did. Within 6 months time, we were traveling from four different states for our first reunion. Nervous, curious, and excited hearts converged on a weekend of epic proportions.
We reminisced and laughed about old times and described the journeys our lives have taken since graduation…colleges, marriages, kids, grandkids, careers, and so on. Not surprisingly, we found out that our lives have endured a lot more bumps, bruises, and broken places than our Facebook pages have revealed. We found out we needed each other. We needed to share our stories. We needed to revisit the familiar and explore the new. A priceless time of nurturing friendships. A time to encourage. A time to support. A time to love.
“Dear Friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God”. 1 John 4:7
The most beautiful discovery of all was to hear how God’s love and transforming power was evident and interwoven in all of our stories. Praise God, We had each found Him! He had knitted us together so many years ago and was now responsible for threading us back together at this current season of our life.
The weekend left us energized and longing for more so we planned another reunion this past summer. For reunion #2 we traveled to our hometown and invited four more girlfriends. We included a tour of our high school and drove by our childhood homes. Very fun, but, again, the best part was spending time together. One of our friends summed it up best, “I wasn’t sure about coming. I was really nervous about seeing everyone again, but now I know this is exactly what I needed. You all filled me up. It was the best kind of therapy.”
Taking time to nurture a relationship is a gift. It brings life, renews souls, encourages hearts, and speaks love. What relationships in your life could use some nurturing (family, friends, neighbors, co-workers…)?
It is time to reach out and start the conversation.
Jesus, thank you for the many relationships you have blessed us with. Thank you for being a relational God and showing us how to love others. Help us to be better nurturers of your love. Open our eyes to the one that needs a call, a hug, a word, an ear. Time is precious. May we not waste an opportunity to love on someone today and show them You.