I am excited today and a bit sad. The reason these two emotions are so close together (and they have been a lot lately as I prepare for the "transplant") is that I get to take a road trip with some of my very best friends as we sojourn to Lubbock, TX to partake in a wedding.
This trip is unusual for a multitude of reasons. First is these are my camp friends, and as such we rarely get to do things outside of camp all together, much less travel out of STATE together. Seven of us are going! That is a huge chunk of the people I look forward to seeing every year. Or rather, used to, as my camper days are now done. That is where the sadness comes in. This is the last time this group of people will get to experience something like this. Every summer for so long, we would come together in an intentional Christian community to grow and change and live life together. We formed a tight group, but as I, along with Savanah and Taylor, are the oldest of the group and we are Seniors, the group is slowly fragmenting away with age.
Coming from a by-and-large youth-less church, I have not had to deal with people graduating and moving on. The closest I ever got to that experience would be when an elderly couple relocates to be closer to children or grandchildren. Even at camp, which is supposed to be a rotating crop of kids, the immediate years above me had few campers. To be exact, there has been only four senior campers in the last three years.
Second reason for abnormality is not only that this wedding is a long drive away, but this wedding is between not one but TWO camp counselors. They are mentors and most of all wonderful friends that have helped each of us going tonight greatly in our Chrisitan walk. These two are on fire and they are drinking deep from the spiritual fountain right now. Praise God!
However, camp woes was not the intent of this particular blog, but rather the thing about weddings. I spent a time with the Reverend Skaggs of Tulsa and as he officiated an non-orthodox wedding he put it into perspective. It's a big day! But the people being joined want it to also be a perfect day. As clergy, it is our responsibility to make this day meaningful and memorable as both of them are now going forth to live life in a new way as both of them have given up signficant freedom to the other.
Which is great, and I agree whole-heartedly, but in the "spirit" of the wedding, how often I think couples lose that focus. It becomes, not about the union, but about the guests... and the dress... and the cakes... and the venue... and the...
Basically, everything except what it should be. Bridezillas drive me nuts, but in the end, they're not all that common, I suppose (?). It is simply that I worry about weddings like one of my 'trainers' Reverend Davison worried about my graduation. He simply said to make sure that you draw it in and remember because it is a whirlwind that will suck up all of your attention (some of his words, some of mine taken from translation and now experience). It is so true though. You blink and the whole ceremony is over. Why did we waste all this time, resources, and money?
Simply to make good memories and to celebrate our remembrances I suppose. That is why in all that I worry about weddings.
I'm confident about my friends Dirk and Alyssa though. They be smart.
Good thoughts. And true.
ReplyDeleteBut perfect is overrated, and accidents seem to add a levity to the day which is a great memory. My first wedding I announced the couple by her maiden name, which is odd because she was a widow and didn't even use that name! Ugh! Good laughs, good memory (now, embarrassing then!).
As for "drifting" (my word for your description), it happens. BUT, in this new world with blogs, email, IM and Facebook, we need not every truly lose touch with someone.
And, also, there is the old saying, "People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime." You need to determine each persons role and how you will respond. Sadly, many of our tightest bonds are only for a season. But some are for a lifetime, and many can be if we wish them to be such.
You are wiser than your years. You will be fine.