I’ve mentioned here before how interesting Facebook has made my life. A couple weeks ago the girl who sat beside me in fifth grade found me. It was a laugh reconnecting with her, realizing that my current sentence to a lifetime in fifth grade was probably punishment for all our shenanigans.
This week brought another blast from the past. In 1992 I went on a mission trip to Germany. I met a kindred spirit on that trip. We hit it off immediately and enjoyed a month of adventure together. After the trip we wrote letters (this was pre-internet) and she visited me in Philadelphia once. Somewhere in the middle of our college years we lost touch—until last week.
It has been an enormous blessing to reconnect with this old friend. She is married, a mother of four, living on a farm in rural Tennessee. We’ve been emailing frantically this week, trying to catch up on 17 years a little bit at a time. Our conversations have been the highlight of my week.
This sweet reconnection exposed an ugly part of me, though. When I saw my friend’s “stats” on Facebook, I was instantly disappointed with my boring life. (When I related this story to my high school small group girls tonight, they were quick to say, “Joy, you are NOT boring.” I heart those girls so much!!) When I see a friend has married and had four kids in the past 17 years and I’ve taught fifth grade and, um, taught fifth grade in another state, I can’t help but feel like I’ve missed out.
It was no coincidence that I also found this quote from Charles Spurgeon this week, “If there were any place better for you than the one in which you find yourself, Divine Love would have placed you there.”
As I start this new week, I want to remember that Divine Love has placed me here. And I am thankful that Divine Love has placed a dear friend in my life—again.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
9 years ago
Oh Joy! don't you think I ever feel like I missed out on fun raucous single life?? getting amrried young and having a passle of kids has left me with my own issues..it goes both ways. The grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Spurgeon quote! putting it on my desk right now...as a reminder when I feel restless..
Joy. I think it is great you two have reconnected! Facebook has helped me reconnect with a myriad of people from the past. Some of which had a great impact on my life. The mission trip was life changing for me. I remember both of you going from, I am not sure I want to be here, to, I am not sure I want to leave. Great times! I love the Spurgeon quote as well, though I am not putting on my desk right now.
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