Life goes on

This weekend I attended my 35th class reunion. It was fun. It was great to see alot of old friends. We caught up on each other, laughed about old times, and generally got reacquainted. It was...fun.

So much fun! There were a few of my closest high school friends there, and of course I spent the most time with them. That was awesome! There were others whom I've stayed in touch with through Facebook, even some of those who I didn't know that well back in the era of disco. I hung with them some too, and loved it!

With some of the rest, there was the typical cocktail party mode of drifting from conversation to conversation. And I wondered, why?

Yes, I enjoyed it and I will go back again in five years. But more than ever, I faced the fact that life goes on. And being a friend takes work, and time.

I have friends that I've met over time since then, friends who I know stand with me through thick and thin. Yes, a few from that class. From church. From work. From YoungLife. From my Visiting Orphans mission trips. Friends I've made over the years who I cannot imagine drifting away from. And when I invest time in those friendships, they flourish.

So I got a little reflective tonight. I thought about the people I love. Family and friends. And I thought, what makes them different? Why have they lasted for so many years? How do I show them they are important to me? How do I avoid drifting away? I think the answer is easy...I spend time with them. Talking to them. Playing with them. Praying for them. Praying with them. Just loving them - because for us humans, time is love.

Past expériences and old songs are not enough to keep people close. It's something to talk about and reminisce, but it doesn't keep you close. As Ricky Nelson sang in Garden Party (a song about a reunion),

If memories are all I sing, I'd rather drive a truck.

Friendships, even old ones, are based on more than memories. I thank God for mine.