In for the long haul

Have you ever thought about how many people you have been in relationship with during your life? A lot. Every time I come home I run into someone who I hadn't even thought of in years. This weekend was Lucas Davilla. While walking out of the store Thanksgiving morning, a big tattooed kid jumped out of the drivers seat of a car in the parking lot. After a warm greeting of "Hey! I know this (fill in with choice words :-) ). Give a brotha some love!!" and I did a little catching up with him. I worked with him for 2 years in high. During those two years I spent more time with him than my family and any of my friends. He was a punk, but I liked him. We spent many evenings discussing how awful it would be if your body happened to get sent through the pizza oven and many evenings watching him see what different kinds of kitchen utensils he could stick through his gauged earlobes-among other things. Two years was spent building a relationship with Lucas and then one day it was all gone and not thought of for years.

He was just one. Most relationships are like ...grass. They are there one day, then wither away. New ones come. We don't notice it and most times, it's no big deal. Relationships are in a constant flux as we go through different phases of life. I have noticed, however, that there is one kind of relationship that just does not work like this. If there is a flop in the bond somewhere, the relationship just doesn't end. It can't be replaced by another person. It cannot just be left in the dark. It's different.

When God created each individual person, he placed them in this inescapable, relational unit with people who have an unbreakable attachment to them. The Fam. There is nothing like it. I have never met a person who has not gone an extended period of time without thought of their mom or without though of their dad or their brothers and sister. My dad's mom died 30 years ago and he still thinks about her all the time. My little guy that I've been watching for 3 yrs will grow up, having never met his birth parents and having a one in a billion chance of coming across them some day, and wonder why they left him dumpster when he was born. We can't get out of them. We can't get rid of them. We can't forget them. They're our family. They're a blessing. Make the most of them. If they're a good one- praise God and enjoy. If they aren't so much, make the most of it. It's hard. It takes time. It takes work. It's worth the work. It's worth the time. It's the only one you'll get.