Today I am lounging around my older sister’s house in Memphis. It is currently two days before I launch off to Cambodia with 50 other young people.
And guess what?
They were right. The people were right.
Don’t you hate it when your life proves a cliche true.
I have never had to say the good-byes that I have had to say to friends and family this past week. There have been sweet ones and bittersweet ones. When I was younger, and even now still, my grandparents would remind me constantly that when one leaves they must include a hug with that good-bye and that you should always include the “I love you” even if one just ended up going on a wild adventure to Walmart.
I guess when you have lived as long as they have, you have said all the good-byes they have, and maybe had more regrets than you want, you start letting people you care about know you love them constantly.
I think about all the text messages that I receive from my grandparents. Every single text. Every one of them. They all have “lu” included at the end.
Now my grandparents are older and when they got into the texting game they learned all the short hands for other words. I don’t remember if “lu” was an abbreviation for “Love You” or not but it is in our family now because of my grandparents.
Always, they include the “lu,” and now I understand why they do it.
You don’t know when you are going to see anyone again.
My life is currently proving this common cliche true.
I realize the fact that I have good-byes to say is a blessing more than anything, though. God has showered me with relational blessings. All the people in my life that I have said good-bye-for-now to are people I am so thankful for, and they have enriched my life. I kind of get now what Paul writes to a part of the Body of Christ in Philippi, that it would make his joy complete to be with them again.
I am so excited to be with my team and squad this year and to know them and serve with them and live with them. But right now I am sweetly saddened by the good-byes that I am giving and for now, as far as I know, this is the last time that I will see the people I said my good-byes to on this earth.
Good-Bye For Now Florence. Lu
