I think we all grew a little bit over the past few days. I know I did.
When I took my walk by the river today (wrote about it in sstrams thread announcing Ram$Life's passing) I ran into a former business partner. He was guiding, taking some clients out on that runoff-swollen river on a float trip that only a few could safely manage. Our business parting several years ago turned nasty and there had never been any healing.
I was talking to his clients when he drove up. He saw me enjoying some time with his clients and lingered for a few moments around his truck. I walked up to him, hand extended, and in that split-second he knew he was forgiven, the guilt and angst were erased, there was healing, and I could see the relief on his face. He walked through the handshake and greeted me with a hug.
We had something more than a pleasant exchange before he shoved of for a real busy day of rowing. It was a good time, and set the tone beautifully for his day with his clients. For me, there was peace and relief in those moments.
I don't need to get all preachy about it; you guys know where my head was when I headed for the river and why I was there. The messages I got in those moments were: the past is in the
past There are reasons we cannot fathom for forgiveness. God loves all of us, even those we have a hard time loving, or those we barely know. We are to love as He loves - greet those moments as opportunities to get rid of our junk and do it. Much of life is as simple, and profound, as fleetingly painful, and as eternally beautiful, as that.
Today I thank God for the opportunity I've had to grow close - even if only for moments - to a bunch of football buddies on this board, united in something so silly, in the grand scheme of things, as horns on a football helmet, or even a bobblehead doll wearing that helmet that stood for a guy I knew as Ram4Life.
