Old Friends are Lost but new Ones are Waiting to get Acquainted
The void that old friends leave in our hearts and the pleasure we have from finding new friends
You reach the airport in time. There is already a hollow feeling in your gut. You park the car, stride to the departure lounge and there they are. A small group of friends speaking softly about nothing in particular. Their forced smiles when greeting you, don’t conceal the sadness inside.
The next ten minutes drag on forever, but when it is over it feels like seconds. The announcement comes and this is it. You all get up, leaving a table with dirty cups, some still half full but they are all witnesses to the last goodbye of people who might or might not see each other again. The small group of friends bundles together to get in a last word before the travelers reach the security gate.
Hugs, kisses, tears, well wishes, and more hugs, and then they are gone. With those left behind, you wave a last time not knowing if they are looking back and can still see you. Two friends cut out from your circle. The others leave quickly, hiding their sorrow. But you stay. You go to the lookout to say a last farewell the moment their airplane takes to the air. And then you drive to the beach where you cry your heart out. Oh, Yeshua, help me.
I am sure many people can relate to the story so far. I am also convinced this happens more than once in many people’s lives. You know the emptiness when someone close to you moves to the other side of the globe. The wound does not heal overnight. But you have to move on. alone or if you have many friends, you help each other to cross the bridge.
A new day dawns and you prepare for it like any other day, expecting nothing out of the ordinary. An hour into the working day your phone rings. It is a new client who wants to meet. Your day is full, but this client says it is urgent and you agree to meet over lunch in your favorite coffee shop close to your office.
Since your friends’ departure weeks before, you have avoided this coffee shop as it was where you always met with them. On entering you feel the pangs of loss once more. But you push through because your new client is important and being here might help the healing process.
Business-talk out of the way, you can now relax and enjoy your light lunch and have a lighthearted chat to get to know your client on a personal level. The client is all for it. She tells you that you look familiar. Don’t you attend church at so and so? Yes. Of course, you do. A new conversation opens up and you chat about things you have in common.
She asks you about other congregants she knew but hadn’t seen in a while. You tell her about your friend whose husband had taken a job in England and they moved overseas. and how much you are missing them like an arm was cut off. Most empathetic to your situation, she tells you she had gone through a similar experience. Taking both your hands she prayed that the Father would send His Spirit to comfort you and bring healing to your soul.
Right there a precious new friendship is formed. Your new client has become your new best friend. Lifted up, and full of the joy of the Lord, you leave the coffee shop with a promise to stay in touch on a social level, agree to meet at church, and are most grateful for someone with whom you can connect on a level deeper than that of a casual acquaintance. There is no way to deny that this was divinely appointed.
Father God knows your needs and He always provides at the right time and place. Most often when you don’t expect it, He leads you down a path where healing, provision, and fulfillment take place. And the joy that transcends all human understanding will flood your spirit through the love of Yeshua the Saviour.
Until my next post, you may find me on authormasterminds.com where every reader is a friend and every writer is approachable.
Blessings until then.