Reunions

Today I am going to pick up my father from the airport. He lives in China, and I haven't seen him for about a year. We're not necessarily going to do anything very special or exciting while he's here—after all, it's snowy and cold, he can't skate or ski, and I can't afford Vikings playoff tickets, so there's not really a lot to do around here. Mostly we'll probably just sit around the house talking, watching movies, and playing games. He'll cook me Chinese food and I'll make him the kind of American food he hasn't had for a while. It'll be pretty laid back, and both of us will probably love it.

I think it's interesting that we get so excited about reunions when they're often such simple things. When we look forward to reunions, we aren't really thinking about what we're going to do but rather who we're going to be with. For some reason, simply spending time with loved ones we haven't seen for a while can be just as enjoyable as doing something exciting. With that in mind, I wanted to take a few minutes to think about why reunions are so special.

• I don't stop loving people when I'm separated from them. My heart is strong and can hold on to the ones I love across space and time. The joy I feel at these reunions reminds me that the circumstances of life don't have to change things like love, and that's a comforting thought.
  

• Reconnecting with someone reminds me how important all of my relationships are. I remember that each life that touches mine is special, unique, and irreplaceable. I miss my loved ones when I am away from them because each of them has a place in my heart that no one else can fill. When we come together again, that part of my heart rejoices in being complete once more.
  

• We are all constantly growing. When I reconnect with people, I get to see how much they've changed in the time we've been apart, and they get to see how I'm different too. We can share our life journeys. Sometimes my loved ones and I go through good times and sometimes things are hard, but we are always growing and changing, and it's nice to know that's something we get to do together.

• By talking with someone I haven't seen for a while, I can learn new things and imagine new experiences. I like hearing about lives that are different from mine, so it can be fun to listen to someone who's been living somewhere else talk about his or her life. Reconnecting with a friend or loved one can be almost like reading a good book or watching an interesting movie. 
  

• Every reunion strengthens and revitalizes my relationships and my life. Relationships fade as we drift apart, but it's never too late to reawaken that spark through a reunion. We can always come back together again, and that's a joyful feeling when it happens. All that loving history returns, and it lends its strength not only to the relationship but to my spirit in general. Reconnecting with others strengthens the love that is at the foundation of my existence.

In the grand scheme of things, today is just going to be a regular day. I'll pick up my dad at the airport, take him to my church where we'll join my husband and other church members at a meatloaf and macaroni dinner, and then we'll go home where I'll inflate the air mattress that my dad will sleep on in the empty spare room. It won't be glamorous or exciting at all, but it will still be very special to me.