02 Aug Christina, Arrivals and Departures
As I linger on this special photograph that was taken on the morning of Christina’s wedding, I smile as I think of the “fun girls,” many of whom are pictured here.
Following Christina has always been been one of my favorite pastimes. Our many road trips to Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where Christina earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History, were no exception. Carol and I barely survived the emotions of the initial trip when we left Christina in this new place. Then there were the numerous road trips that Christina and I enjoyed where I accompanied her back and forth between home and college during holidays and special times. One of my favorite Alabama road trip memories was witnessing her being “mobbed” by this special group of close friends, mostly roommates, that I have affectionately dubbed the “fun girls.” This name originated from the fact that when they were together the laughter was spontaneous and uncontrollable. Their shrieks and screams of “Teensie is here” was the familiar cry upon her arrival. I especially remember one late night arrival where they were apparently waiting from the vantage point of a grassy berm and as Christina and I emerged from the car, their screams from the darkness were unmistakable. I remember smiling to myself at what had by now become a familiar encounter.
Her departures from them were at the opposite end of the emotional spectrum as they bade her tearful goodbyes. I will never forget the view I saw one day as I drove Christina away from her final departure from the “Currie Way” house, where she had stayed at the edge of the Samford campus with the “fun girls.” I had just completed my daddy duties of packing all of her her little possessions that I had become quite expert at stowing, and somehow compressed them once again into the trunk and back seat of her little green Lexus. We bade our tearful goodbyes and had started our drive down the tree-lined street, when one of her sweet friends came running to the curb and pretty much collapsed on the ground crying as I looked on from the rearview mirror of the car. I completely felt her pain as I had experienced that same “loss of breath” feeling every time Christina left my presence for any extended time. God blessed Christina with that special spark that just lights any room she enters.
The thing about departures and arrivals is that you can’t have one without the other. We can’t arrive until we depart. We are comforted in the fact that God’s word tells us of a place he has prepared where there will be no more departures. I smile as I think of this. Until then we can hold on to Revelation 21:4-8.
” ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”
Going along with this post, I just have to link to another road trip with Christina we took a little over a year ago when we revisited Birmingham. Thanks for sharing in Christina’s and my celebration of memories today.
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