Longing

REACH 2011

Right now I have many friends that are preparing for REACH Camp. They'll all be there today, celebrating and sharing for the long weekend. When I said goodbye to them last year, I didn't know that we wouldn't be returning. I thought for sure we would be. As soon as we left we started counting down the days until we returned.

Instead of making camp preparations myself, I sit crying at my dining room table reflecting on how much those people mean to me. Our struggles and fears were the same. We talked about them, shared very personal stories, and celebrated life and our God together. It was a week to live authentically, honestly, without fear of judgement. Oh, what a gift.

What if we could all live like that everyday, in community with incredible support and understanding. With compassion and joy to light up the world. What if we always had a song on our lips, and a smile for both the new and the old. What if race, socioeconomic status, special need, or health status didn't divide us. What if we all came to the table sharing the same food, spending time on the same activities, and actively working to build friendships.

I'll always be incredibly thankful for the time I had with fellow REACH families and the amazing volunteers. They've truly touched our lives.