Connections

Last Saturday, Vicki and I were in Dallas. I had been invited to officiate at the wedding of Jessica and Jason, two young adults from the Plymouth Congregational Church in Wichita, Kansas where I served as the Senior Minister for 9 years. Despite the day being infernally hot and humid - I could barely read the last part of the ceremony because of the quantity of sweat streaming into my eyes - and despite the fact that I forgot one of the wireless microphones I wore was not really wireless, it was a lovely ceremony, and, even better, it was a wonderful time of seeing good friends who were there for the wedding.

The weekend got me thinking about my relationship with the folks we saw at the wedding. 11 years ago, more or less, I had not even heard of these people, much less met them. But, since 1997, I had shared life with them. I had sat with them in hospital rooms, had celebrated weddings with them, had rejoiced at the births of their children, and had cried with them at the deaths of loved ones. We had worshipped together, eaten together, and laughed together. We talked about everything under the sun -- current events, sports, church life, bad bosses and co-workers, dreams for themselves and their families and their hopes for years to come.

Yet, I had done the same things with others. So, why had we forged such strong bonds with these folks and not with all others? I do not know. Somehow their souls touched mine and my soul touched theirs in some strong, but mysterious, way.

That is the way of human relationships. Who can understand how the bonds of friendship can be formed that are powerful enough to overcome time and distance and remain just as strong as ever? But, aren't we all glad that we humans have this capacity?