I’ve lived hair and there
I am friends with 3 of these people on Facebook. I have occasional facebook conversations with one of them. But in 1984, these people were a major part of my life.
At some point I had to make an adjustment. I had to be able to meet new people, say hi even when I didn’t feel like it, and open myself up to people even when it wasn’t comfortable. With the meeting of new people came opening myself up to new ideas. New ideas were not looked on positively by the community I was a part of in 1984, but they were important for my growth.
I think we grow fastest and best as people when we separate ourselves from our present communities for a time, and then come back to it for a time, like hopping back and forth through the middle of a river on rocks, each side bringing a new and fresh perspective of the entirety of the river.
I grew up in Fremont, Ohio and have lived in Tucson, AZ; Pensacola, Fl; Atlanta, Ga; and Massachusetts. Each community bringing its own fresh perspectives and the ability to help me see things more clearly (and sometimes less clearly) as I continue on in life.
Sometimes I’m thrilled to have lived in all of these places and known all of these people and gathered all these perspectives, and sometimes I just want to be the little boy again.
I had way more hair back then.
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It’s interesting to consider the number of people who God calls out of their communities in the bible in order to effect change in them.
Starting with Adam and Eve, continuing with Israel, Joseph, Moses, David, Jonah, even the 12 apostles… God seems to recognize that not much transformation happens when he leaves people in the places where they grew up.
Very interesting insight guys.
What a place. It nearly destroyed my Christian life. Seriously.