July 3, 2010 NYC
I’m sad, I’ve been sad since I arrived here, I have to admit. The emotion almost surprised me, because I came here on a holiday, and the days unfolded before me with a new friend to see for each meal. But when I waved goodbye to you, S, on the bus, I felt something caught in my chest, and wondered when I would see you next. And after hugging you goodbye, J at the door, I know I will miss the way you share with me, without reservation, to give me a glimpse of how God has touched you in the past year. Here I am, although I feel like I can never ask enough to cover every significant moment since I last saw you and you, I am privileged to witness the work of how He shapes his jars of clay in different ways. To every one of you, I thanked you for making the effort to see me, because you took a four-hour bus, or two-hour train or rented a car to see me in memory of the time and influence we once had on each other. At the end of this trip, I will try to resist asking ‘Why isn’t the world a smaller place?’ and instead remember the miles you’ve travelled and hospitality displayed to show me you care, and the unique experiences you’ve gone through that could have only been the result of your location and relationships in your city. I will carry your stories with me in my heart wherever I go, and have I said thank you for knowing and loving me in this country? Because it reminds me of all the lessons I shall not unforget, and the person I’ve become that I shall not unvalue, thank you thank you.
Post-NYC and Boston….reflections on why the world ain’t a smaller place..
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