Everybody was still a little sleepy-eyed, there were cups of steaming coffee and its aroma swirled in the air around us as we joked and said "Good Morning". Someone mentioned a lunch meeting for the following day.
"Oh, sorry," I said, "But I won't be able to make that. I'll be out of town."
"And just where do you think you are going to be instead, Little Girl?" the friendly gentleman who will remain nameless asked.
"We've got a meeting. About Uganda." I answered.
The look on his almost-perpetually jovial face changed.
"You're not allowed to go, you know, " he said.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"You can't go. To Uganda. We want you here...for at least a good 10 years. After I retire, then you can go!"
That's the problem, you see. For those of us that understand how relationship is intended to be, we dig deep. We love abundantly. We allow the connections when we know there must be an end at some point. And we always hope that the "some point" is after we decide to move on, after we retire. When the change in our lives will mask the lonely space of the ones who are missing. It's a risk to allow other in, to develop relationship, to care about another when you know you have to let go.
It is, however, so good to know when you are loved.
You ARE loved. And the gentleman who remains nameless, who I'm sure I know- feels much like myself. ah, dear sister...
ReplyDeleteAh, dear sister... Thank you! I love you too! I like to think that I'm getting better at letting people know how much they mean to me- you never know when you won't get that chance again! (And yes, you do know the nameless one! )
ReplyDeleteJess - Quite profound about the nature of relationships and being able to let go... definitely struck a chord for me!
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