I know that there are a lot of quotes I could pull out that
talk about learning from the past. Many would say that if we don’t study the
past that it is bound to repeat itself which in the context of racism and
political dictatorship can be fatal for many. Over the last year I’ve had an
incredible experience reconnecting with friends from my youth. I know that
without social media this wouldn’t happen. I moved too often as a youth to
mentally set roots anywhere. So for some reason I had a mental block about
returning to where I lived for half of my high school years. My dad was in the
Air Force, which equated to moving every few years.
What has been amazing is to have the past be pictured in my
mind’s eye and realize how someone I haven’t talked to in 40 years played a
significant role in my life journey with figuring out my life passion. Yet, as
I rack my brain I remember that I never had the opportunity to say thanks to
those who stepped out of their comfort zone to befriend me and walk with me through
my later teen years. It is too easy to ignore the past whether it is viewed as
beneficial or toxic.
I did have an incredible childhood and teenhood because of
having parents that cared and did the normal things of life in an extraordinary
fashion. As I have spent a good portion of my life working with youth and
adults who come out of marginalized settings I realize how blessed and rich I
am to have had parents that went the extra mile as if it was the norm all of
the time. So as I have reconnected with some of my ‘Jesus Freak ‘ friends I’m
humbled to think how God used these friends to shape my life.
Do you ever wonder why you have a passion for certain things
and distaste for other things in life? I can remember being someone in high
school that liked science and saw myself becoming a research type of person
until I met this group of passionate Jesus Freaks who lived out their faith in
God in a very compassionate and driven fashion. It was through their living
example that I gained a passion for people and also for better understanding
life. I really hadn’t considered myself to be someone that would have a passion
for ‘book learning’, yet this is what happened through this rather unusual
group of friends. We would spend hours and hours studying not just the Bible
but also other books that went from hard-core atheist types to modern day
theologians and philosophers. Yet, what was truly amazing was that we took our
learning onto the streets to connect with people!
My point in writing this blog is to first thank these
special friends who I most likely won’t see except for posts on FB or LinkedIn.
I confess that it is way too easy to be caught up in the busy mode and just not
take the time to reconnect regardless of who initiates. So my encouragement and
challenge to everyone is to take the time to look back over the years and say
thanks to the few that help push you and mold you into the person you are
today. Some of these special friends were parents that opened up their hearts
and homes to me and through this impacted my view of life and adults.
How can you say thanks to someone from 40 years ago? I know
that it can become an obsession to be connected 24-7 but at least try to
remember and reconnect with those that were and could still be special in your
life!
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