Through a glass, darkly

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Corinthians 13: 12.

This passage reminds me of the recent correspondence shared among my college girlfriends (subject title: re: dinner last week), the Focal Toints. We coined our irreverent group name from the "pa-cute" term we used for our college crushes. It's been ten years. Ten years! Time really flies. But among us, girls, we always have a suspended golden moment when we are together. What Lissa calls a "Kodak moment." It's true. We laugh our hearts out, reminisce, and talk about the future without a thought to our age, to the distance between us. We are as we were and we know that we'll always be this candid way with each other.

The e-mails started out as reflections on the dinner we had last week. And then an outpouring of things in the past. Things that each of us can hide so well because we are happy people, the kind of people who hold other people up. In college, we all had our rose-colored glasses in place. And now... years and years later, those rose-colored glasses aren't exactly the same color... or might have disappeared entirely.

It's called growing up, I suppose. But not growing jaded, I would like to believe. We see through a glass darkly. I think we've gotten more mature, more reflective. I think we all know what we want. The sacrifices we make to pursue what matters in our lives. Seeing them, hearing them tell their stories, living with them a shared past, a treasured present and a glimpse of a purposeful future... reminds me to celebrate life. To celebrate friendship. We don't have a moment to lose. One day we will know as we are fully known. Today, let's cherish what has been, who we are.

Lissa, Angel, Ines, (Jen, you were with us in spirit).... you're wonderful, strong women. I'm so happy and proud to be your friend. FT forever!