losing one another

last night, an old friend came into starbucks, and it had been so long since I last saw her. she said to me: "i recognized your voice...but...but...it's been so long!"..
we talked briefly, and it was visible that something was happening in her life that she didn't particularly want to discuss (especially when we were divided by counter space)...seeing her made me feel sad...as i wished so much to had been there for her when she was going through a rough patch.

in the years i've spent at rcac (five years almost), i've seen people come and go. and no doubt, those of you who have been around for a long time...you can relate to this. many leave at around my age, or that period of transition between high school and university. many of the friends we made in mark fellowship are no longer attending this church...and it's rather sad that we now remember them only in the context of certain memories. seeing this friend made me hurt...because part of me couldn't help but think that i could have been a better friend, more aware of whatever was happening in her life. we take it too much for granted; these relationships we have with one another. the fact of the matter is; i don't know how to care for someone properly...i don't know how to love properly...and perhaps that is one of the greatest diseases of our time...we are too easy to dismiss compassion and our hearts are too hard to love.

i thank that old friend who reminded me of something that i need to work on in myself. it's too easy to take for granted what we have: our friends, our family, those we love. these relationships, they need to be tenderly taken care of, as one would water, provide shade for, and help a plant grow. let's not treat those who have left us as "lost causes"...i hope and pray that some of these broken relationships can be mended.

for my friends who are going through tough times right now...i don't know what to say to make things better. you know i'm here to cry with you if you want to cry, and you know that I'll be with you when you just don't feel like doing anything at all. I'm sorry at my inability to say the right thing at the right time...I suck at that. Like I've said on many accounts...wrestle with God, don't give up on Him. even though the world changes continually, and will one day cave in, God will remain, for His love is unchanging and forever standing.

Let me know that You hear me
Let me know Your touch
Let me know that You love me
Let that be enough