Sunday, December 13, 2009

Christmas Time

I was reading over my previous posts on this blog and stumbled upon this one (written, but never published) for December 2, 2007:

"Every year I look forward to the Holiday Season because it's the one time of year that I get to spend with my loved ones without fail. I've missed birthdays, graduations, and so many other occasions from having to live so far from home. But Christmas time is always spent with friends and family. And like clockwork, every year there always seems to be one defining moment leading up to Christmas that truly ushers it in for me. Sometimes it's a movie I watch, a conversation I have, or even an old friend I just so happen to run into. This year it was a song. On one of our random Awana trips to Starbucks, I was lounging with Brian while waiting for everyone to get their drinks, or finish their chicken legs (long story) when "Christmas Time is Here" by Vince Guaraldi came on. Brian and I just sat there for a few minutes listening till the song ended and we all got up to leave. On my way out, two thoughts came to my mind: The first was just how much I enjoyed sitting there enjoying the music for no reason at all. I sat there never wanting to leave and I couldn't even explain why (how often do we really ever just sit and listen to music nowadays?) The second was a reminder of how I take for granted the great friends and people I've met throughout my life. Talking to Brian while sitting there just reminded me how precious friendships are. For all I know, a year from now, Brian could be hundreds of miles away, our time together reduced to monthly phone calls or bi-yearly visits. This Christmas season, I'm thankful for loved ones. Thank God. Merry Christmas"

If I remember correctly, this was the semester after Brian spent a year in Indonesia. For all I knew he could have gone back for who knows how long.

So this year, thank God for friends.