Remember that one song
that guy sang that one time?
“Don’t care about spots on my apples, just leave me the birds and the bees, please!
“And don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till’ it’s gone..”
Thinking about being here on month six of the Race can be quite the reality check from time to time. Our days abroad blend into weeks and the weeks slip into months; from country to country, the Race has become our reality, our norm for the everyday. So, being here in Cambodia faced with the haunting realization that in five days our journey will have reached the half way point, I can’t help but think of the past while projecting future. I recognize that I’ve been sucked away by these types of thoughts before, but the meditation is not the same this time.
When I think of home, yes, of course I still dream of the dreams I’ll have there, but no longer in a way that subtracts me from the Race. I think more often of the things which I so often took for granted and the things which I didn’t fully appreciate; namely, my family. I recall how around Christmas time my mother would faithfully tell me, “Abby, the biggest thing you could ever do for your grandparents this year for Christmas is simply to spend time with them. Perhaps you could write them a card, because your words and just the way that you think about them will mean so much more to them than anything you could buy.” Sure thing, mom. No problem.
I understood what she was told me, sure; however, being separated so plainly from the availability of family while overseas has brought me to a greater understanding of the truth behind her words. While living at home it’s easy to get caught up in everything else except the people who most immediately surround you. By being primary factors in our lives, they become secondary on our to do lists simply because they’re always accessible. We think, “sure, but maybe later.”
The Race has been a blessing to me in that I’ve been allowed the space which has taught me the value of my time at home, my time with those designed to be some of the closest people to me; for if not for relationships, what would this life amount to? If we look at the life of Jesus we see how his whole ministry was going out and being among throngs of people, his close knit disciples and his family. We see how the entire Bible is the intricate love story of our Creator reconciling mankind back unto himself- the ultimate relationship effort.
Closing thoughts: Missing and thinking of you, Meahm, Daddio Andy and Barry; Grammie, Poppy, Grandma and extended Soucy and Jennings family. May our time be intentionally spent from here on out. Love you all! (:
