Letter #101 - Dave

I grew up with a very interesting life.  The child of educators, ministers, and a natural hostess... my life has always been full of people.  Making new friends, greeting old friends, hosting families and strangers, being hosted by families and strangers... it's no wonder I don't do well with too much alone time! :o)

When I was four years old, my father became an appointee, which is our church's term for clergy, or full-time minister.  during his 10 month training process, he became friends with his fellow classmates, and all of our families developed a bond that I draw on to this day for strength and support.

Recently, I was reminded of a family vactation where a number of these families rented a place and spent a few days together out in the woods.  I was pretty young, and have relatively few memories of the time there, but I can vividly remember the emotions.  The feeling that I was completely safe with all of these people, and that they all loved me.

Dave was one of the guys on the vacation.  He and his family goofed off with us and hiked through the woods with us and told stories and laughed with us.  Dave has a great laugh.  Even as he has gotten older and become more serious (in part, a product of his latest position in our church), his laughter is something I treasure.  I wrote Dave mostly just to say hi, and to share the memory of that trip with him.  I hope it brings a smile to his face as he recalls some of the  shennanigans that took place that weekend... including the "ceremonial offering" presented to my family in my dad & brother's burned out sneakers...

I may not keep in close touch with Dave, or any of the other people in those families... but we all went through a very intense family experience together, and that has created friendships that have outlasted many things in my life.  These people also provide me with a strength I find I can access just by recalling those times we were all sharing space, and sharing love and laughter.  I will always be an appointee kid, and that makes me a part of a very special family.