here's to you

this could be a somewhat lengthy post, so my apologies. it might be worth it if you stick with it though...

the past few days have been full of diving into learning new languages, but somehow in the midst of that, I found some time to get some reading done. the book in question, A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken, is a very open account of the relationship between the author and his wife. it is an incredibly well-crafted story (book makes it sound too academic). sheldon and davy (his wife) made it over to oxford during the time when c. s. lewis was being brilliant and writing some of the english language's best pieces of literature and writing in general. in fact, they became friends with good ole jack. in the midst of this envy-inspring friendship, the topic of how we are made to be eternal beings arose. i had just been discussing an idea similar to this with a friend without being able to put a good name on it a few days before i read this part of the book. my friend and i were talking about how the best conversation happens after a meal. when you grab a cup of coffee and just sit around the table conversing about life. one of my friends talks about this on her blog when she talks about the friends who hang out after a party has died down to help finish off the food that is left. she says this is when the real conversation happens. i agree. it's the moments that don't have a time limit put on them. when we have no where to go and nothing to do so we sit. and talk. we look at the ocean. we discuss books and theology. we just are. we laugh. we tell stories. we reminisce. it's these moments that sheldon and c.s. talk about as showing how we are made in a way that we crave the eternal. we are not primarily temporal beings. yes, we have time. but when has time ever felt like an asset. when is time not the thing we feel like we are fighting. after reading the section of the book discussing this, i wrote the following words, entitled "this is what i most enjoy."

this is what I most enjoy. sitting with friends. drink in hand. conversing. not chatting. chatting means nothing. conversing. with old friends. dear friends. friends far and wide. friends of old. friends of but a short while. friends flung far and farther. friends in that lovely village on the plains. friends in the country of Lewis and London. friends in the untouched heart of bustling Brasil. friends at home. in good ole Athens-town. friends who know me. friends whom i know. friends. not only in being but also in doing, in experiencing. friends in hours long conversations in coffee houses. friends in midnight adventures and singing and star-watching in a Virginia field. friends in “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Big City Bread, and picking up where we left off no matter the time that has passed. friends in trying new things and turning over a new leaf. friends in adventures on the other side of the world and its hidden corners. making friends. being friends. a shadow of things to come. a most enjoyable shadow of that forever conversation with the One who invented the notion by simply being. oh, that conversation that will last for ages to come. that will finally fulfill the longings of the soul to be completely and fully known. that will be the day when my words will fail without consequence in the presence of the true Word. for that Word is simply. enough.

being on the other side of the world is a change that sometimes emphasizes the time-ness of things. the temporality of this place. but the good news is this place is not home. He is.

if you've known many any length of time (or have read any of this blog), you know i enjoy the music of brooke fraser. as such, i listen to her tunes quite a bit. one of them (well, most of them, but for right now, i'll talk about one) has seemed particularly relevant of late. i think it talks about this idea as well. the line "cheers to the friendships well worn in/that time nor distance alter," has stuck out to me. i have so many of these friendships. and i am thankful for each of them. i referenced a few in the prose above, and there are many more. but most of all, i am thankful to be in a place where i can recognize them. when we are in the middle of life and its goings on, it can hard to recognize what is there.

so, to all of my friends, here's to you!

Cheers to the furrows on our brow

To each hard-won victory

Cheers to the losses that grew us up

Killed our pride, and filled our cup

Cheers to the friendships well worn in

That time nor distance alter

Here’s to the sleepers we’ll see again

Find company in memoria

Open your mouth and sing out your song

Life is short as the day is long

I can’t leave you my body

But I’ll leave you a tune

This is my legacy

Cheers to you

Cheers to the passing of our youth

And the death of lust not one day

A toast to the lessons not yet learned

And to the trials that will teach them

Open your mouth and sing out your song

Life is short as the day is long

I can’t leave you my body

But I’ll leave you a tune

This is my legacy

Cheers to you

Open your mouth and sing out your song

Life is short as the day is long

I can’t leave you my body

But I’ll leave you a tune

Open your mouth, and sing out your song

Life is short as the day is long

I can’t leave you my body

But I’ll leave you a tune

This is my legacy

This is my legacy

This is my legacy

Cheers to you