I think that I will come to this point at the end of every school year.
The
second semester comes to a close as spring begins to morph into summer.
Friends that were once acquaintances begin to pack their belongings and
move out of their oh-so-familiar dorm rooms, apartments, and houses.
Students returning their textbooks, finishing the last of their tests,
and heading home for the summer.
Experiences
like this - The end of a year of college - Lead to an inevitably large
number of goodbyes. I find myself leaving a number of friends that I
have spent months eating, studying, growing, and living with - All of
whom I am somewhat sad that I will not see in the next few months of my
life..... But that's just it.
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Who's to say that I will ever see that friend from second floor ever again?
How do I really know that I have many more memories to look forward to making with that friend that lives on State Street?
So often, our goodbyes sound something like any one of the following:
"Hey,
it was a great weekend! Thanks so much for coming with - I look
forward to the next time that we'll have the chance to hang out!"
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"See you in three months!"
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"I'm going to miss you so much Derek; I can't wait until we go camping this summer!"
"I'm going to miss you so much Derek; I can't wait until we go camping this summer!"
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"Thanks for coming, we'll see you next weekend at the ceremony!"
While
these goodbyes may seem harmless, and may be very well intended, my
point is this - There's no guarantee that we will ever see that person
again. Although you may have made plans for a canoeing trip three
months from now, who's to say that your friend won't suffer a
spontaneous heart attack, either sending them into urgent care or
straight to the coffin?
How's that for blatancy?
Who
would have known that that sophomore across the hall would attempt to
commit suicide and be taken to an institution for the mentally
unstable?
He seemed perfectly normal - Didn't he?
As
much as we would like to say that the future is as we have it planned,
we must take the time to ponder how little control we have over life,
death, and the future. Time is fleeting, and if we don't realize that, we can easily become caught in a state of passivity.
Have you ever had a loved one unexpectedly pass away?
A friend take his own life?
Someone you know die in a car accident?
Who's to say that any of these things won't happen in the coming weeks to the very person that you say goodbye to next?
It's
not just about death. This issue is even broader than that. It's the
idea that death, "accidents", unexpected changes, and life as a whole, is
beyond our control; so we should be wary when assuming that we will EVER see a person again in the way that we think we will.
Sure, it may be unlikely that anything detrimental will happen - Highly unlikely at that -
But the possibility is there, and it is real.
The next time that you say goodbye to someone, think about this. Think about how little control we have over the future, and how life could change instantaneously contrary to our expectations, plans, and hopes.
Although
it's likely that you will see that person next weekend, or next year, how
can you be sure? Who's to say something might happen in the days to come to alter that expectation...
Rethink the way that you say 'goodbye'.
God is in control always. His will be done. Amen.
AJ, this is so true! Like you were saying at the end of the post, it doesn't even have to be anything catastrophic. Our lives can take turns that we never would have seen coming, even in our wildest dreams. I know mine has. I have had plans that I thought were set in stone, things that I could count on doing in the future, only to have them change before my eyes.
Yes, God is definitely in control, and we aren't in the least!
Thanks for these thoughts!
Long time no comment.
Here is a couple things that this gets me thinking about, and allow me to take comfort in. One is, that I am so grateful that I am not in control or that any human is. Think how awful that would would be. You have to find the excitement in the unknown. Also, I know for a fact every time I realized that I couldnt do anything with out the lord and I let him make the decisions and let him open the doors, those have single-handedly been the best decisions that were ever made in my life.
When you speak to someone, act if every word is your last. It will make you think more and dont expect something prophetic but it will be more meaningful.
God bless your day, and may he give us all another one.
"You have to find the excitement in the unknown." -- So True! Thanks for sharing!