The funny thing about lifelong friends is that no matter how long you go without seeing each other, it is always easy to pick up right where you left off. This is something that I’ve noticed over and over again as the world has been opening back up from the pandemic and it has become easier to travel and see those who live far enough away that travel restrictions prevented any real contact. Regardless of the time that has passed or the world-changing events that have taken place, true relationships will hold strong.
It’s been great to be able to catch up with people who I care about, but this has led me to an interesting personal observation. I am consistently much more inclined to share about the positive aspects of my life than the negative. This may seem obvious, but I couldn’t help but wonder what was causing this, and more importantly, why it was bothering me so much. Naturally, when I’m reconnecting with others, I want to hear that they are growing, succeeding, and thriving. Why then, would I not tell them about the ways that I am growing, succeeding, and thriving? Also, I don’t want to give anyone the impression that I am reaching out to reconnect just to burden them with my own issues. And yet, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of falsehood in this. If these are truly my dear friends, shouldn’t I be willing to share my struggles with them, as well as my triumphs?
Ultimately, this has had me thinking about my time at Camp Koinonia, where at the end of each day, I would share about my experiences with my family or (once I became a teenager) with the staff. It was always foundational to these sharings that we not only spoke about our high points, but our low points as well. I have found that I got enough practice with this while growing up, that even into adulthood, sharing only the high points of life just seems unnatural. As a result, I have found that camp has led me to be more open and honest, and in return, has allowed others to be more comfortable being open and honest with me. I am grateful for that. It is certainly not the only blessing that I can count from my time spent in that strange and wonderful place, but it is the one that I find myself appreciating most often.
