Sorry, emotional release here...
I had to say goodbye to a friend today. She's moving just about as far away as she can without leaving the country.
I say goodbye to lots of friends here. Living long term in a largely transient town means that every year there are friends working for mines that close who get shuffled off to the next location, defence friends come and go with sad frequency, many others "do their time" so they can earn their return to the "big city"... it's jus the way it is. Some you get really close to, others you don't. I don't form many tight close friendships so usually the goodbyes are just the regular kind of rough... this one wasn't. Not long after they moved here N, her husband (P) and their 1 year old son (A) came along to our church and N & A came to our playgroup. We clicked... we were so different, but so much the same. I feel like that's kind of the basis of most good friendships. She needed a friend who would take her as she was (ups and downs related to a past injury), I needed a friend who would take me as I was (scatterbrained and messy). We fit well together. She didn't judge me for the state of my housekeeping, in fact she offered to help me out (folding seems more fun with a friend, after all). I didn't mind if she had to cancel plans at the last minute or rearrange plans to fit with her health, I'd just go with the flow.
Do you ever wonder what our heavenly reunions will be like?
Today we had to say goodbye. They leave on Sunday for their new posting in Hobart. HOBART! There were tears. Both of us realise that even though I am desperate for a Tasmanian holiday (I was telling A (now 4yo) how lovely it will be that it's so green there since we are in drought here and he said "No, it's WHITE there because it SNOWS!!") and even though she has a brother up here who she may possibly come and visit or they may possibly by posted back here by the army at some point, it's all "what if" and "maybe". The only assurance we have that we will see each other again is the faith we both have that Jesus has promised that those who love him will one day be in Heaven.
Whenever I consider that day I'm never really sure what that meeting will be like. Will we seek out a reunion of our earthly relationships? Will all else pale in comparison to being in Christ's glory? I don't know. But I know that sometimes, "Until next time" is very likely to mean "See you in Heaven".
