To all who have been following this blog, you know I’m a big city girl married to a small town boy. I graduated from a large high school with over 700 in my graduating class. Compare this to my husband’s class of 121. Every few years his high school reunion is held, last night being the most recent. As he and I slowly transition back home to the “farm,” I am eager to get to know more people from his home town and friends of his from childhood. Where he goes, I will go.
Even though it’s been more than 40 years since graduation, some things just don’t change. When we arrived, the men were in the living room, and the women were in the den (reminding me of an 8th grade sock hop). Although I know a lot of faces, I still don’t know all the names, but they all know me as “Cary John’s wife.” This class is tight and are BFF’s for life. They know everyone, what happened to everyone, what happened to their families, if their parents, aunts or uncles, are sick — frankly, it shows they care a lot. For years they have kept up with classmates, their families, each other’s triumphs and tragedies. I hate to admit it, but I’m envious of their closely-held relationships. I didn’t have that in the big city, counting a few dozen classmates as friends, and now barely keep up with two from my graduating class.
His high school class reminisced for hours telling hilarious stories of their times together. We were in stitches most of the night, me being one of them. When remembering those who had passed, a somber tone covered us all, perhaps reminding everyone that one day those in attendance last night would be the ones remembered.
I’m looking forward to my new small town home. However, before I get there I want to practice making an impact in someone’s life. My prayer is that I will be an encouragement, not a hindrance; a source of strength, not a stumbling block.
Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.
