A Familiar Friend Returns ... a little bit

There is a lot to be said for the familiar--an old, broken in pair of shoes or an often-read copy of A Tale of Two Cities. New friends are interesting, but old friends with whom I have a lot of history feel secure and comfortable. There is much less of wondering "What are they thinking about me?" because if they didn't like me for who I am, then we wouldn't still be friends. Sometimes I tend to take familiar things, places, and people for granted. (And that is something that I do not like about me.) I want to be a person who appreciates the familiar as much, or more than, the new and novel.

For me, it takes being away from the familiar to remind me of its value. My travel schedule for the past couple of months, plus some other commitments we had made caused me to miss small group for a couple of weeks (and church for a couple more). Even though nothing had really changed when I reconnected, it felt particularly good to be back. These two environments are places where I do not need to impress anyone or be unduly concerned about how I am being perceived. They are familiar and comfortable places and people--in the best way.

Last week in Chicago I got to revisit another old friend whom I have really been missing--running. It has not been the schedule or travel that has kept me away, but instead it has been nagging injuries. Despite the small voices asking "Are you sure you should be doing this?", I turned in a couple of miles along the lakefront. Yes, there was some paying for it later, but it was worthwhile to revisit an old friend and to remember that, as soon as I can get past these momentary light afflictions, there is a promised return to a wonderful friendship.

After some time apart it seems easier to keep drifting. Getting reconnected takes a bit more work. Whether that is small group, or church, or running. But the work of reconnecting is well worth it for the benefits of being back together. The problem with reconnecting with "familiars" is that it is also easy to put it off. To say, I'll get to it next week (which too easily becomes next month, next year, or next decade). And the longer it goes, the more work there is to reconnect.

Sometimes I think that God is the same way. Because He is patiently available, I sometimes don't feel the urgency of keeping that relationship as close and vibrant as possible. And the longer we go without talking, the easier it is to go another day, or week, or ...

Who or what can you reconnect with today? What friendship, family relationship, or place do you need to revisit? Tomorrow at lunch I am meeting an old friend to reconnect and catch up on what has been going on in his life. You?

Pressing on!
-Ken