Tuesday, April 05, 2005

In case you don't know, my job includes a great deal of travel that takes me all over the US. I'll probably do this sort of thing until such time as my family and I call a halt to the whole deal for the sake of everyone's sanity. Actually I believe this is positive for my sanity. Until I was 18 and married I spent a great deal of time in an object that moved either with wheels or wings. I'm surprised that I've planted roots in one place and one church for so long. I may be selfish here but I never feel better than when I'm moving. I've come to terms with this sickness and have found the cure to be a long drive in the country on a day that's cool enough to crack your windows a couple of inches. There's nothing like coming home after a long trip too. Slow dancing by candelight to something by Dianna Krall with your bride who is wearing the perfume you've come to know... Being attacked by two children and a dog who don't care that they're wrinkling your Kenneth Cole suit, stepping all over your Kenneth Cole shoes, or slobbering all over your Kenneth Cole tie. It's wonderful to come home. That's truly the best part of leaving. I think the problem with alot of strained marriages is that nobody ever has the coming home moments because in order to have them you have to also have the going away moments. Even the Scriptures speak about those who are in covenant having a consentual parting for 'a time'. 1 Corinthians 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again..." Now granted, the context here is sexual but the application goes beyond that. There is a euphoric joy in those black and white photos of soldiers coming home and wives being caught up in their arms. Old cameras and adept photographers captures those moments for all eternity and as I look at those I realize that some of those couples spent (as in spending money) two years of life apart for one moment of that kind of joy. There's a richness in togetherness and sometimes apartness is the only way to rediscover it.

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