Home is more than where you get your mail

The drive down to visit my parents and siblings takes approximately 4 hrs and 30 min. depending on if you drive straight or take a break in one of the rest stops. In the past 3 weeks, I've been every weekend. But it's different. I'm no longer coming home any more, just coming to visit.

The good thing is there are reasons to visit. Jenny and Audree are there, and when I'm home they have reason to visit. It's like we're more of a family when I'm gone and come to visit. And I get to see Byron and Monledy, who got engaged last weekend. Daniel when he's in the country. Drew, and Genesis, Anthony, and Nick. Sometimes Ned. Some times my other cousins. Or Perrin and Joe. The usual Bible Study crowd.

What I find really interesting is how friendships work. What they are built off of and what promotes intimacy in a relationship. The disclosure, and conversation, and enjoyment, although fun and bonding, they don't take the place of confiding and trusting and growth and fidelity. Solidarity of sorts.

It's odd to think that if I didn't have a Bible Study and my brother and sisters were working that weekend, and I didn't have my stuff down there like my car or my books, would I go visit? I'm not sure. I like to think, it would be an enjoyable experience to reminisce. But it would seem like I would be visiting a place without any purpose, like a significant geographical landmark or performance of service, but in all honesty, I don't think I would have reason. And unfortunately I need a reason. I recall vaguely that a friend is someone with whom you don't need a reason to drop by. I don't know if I have any people like that. There are many people that I get along with. Many. There are many people at work that I get along with. There are also people whose company I would choose over others.

What started me thinking about all this is Byron's invitation to the Engagement Party at his (now) fiancée's house. Most of the people I see down south are simply those I know by Bible Study. Outside of that we don't just hang out. We're not really friends of sorts. Except for Byron.

The reason for this is an interesting one. It's actually a rebuke to me. Byron and I are friends outside of Bible Study because he has taken the principles we speak of and makes them his in his life. It's not just stuff we talk about. He has taken the talk of purpose and forgiveness and eschatology and has applied them to his life. And consequently as we have talked about Bible Study we have talking about applying those principles to our relationships, our jobs, our finances, our church, our community service. Byron has made his christianity practical. And that is why we seem to talk about the rest of our lives in addition to Bible Studies. And Solidarity is formed. It's as if we somehow share a similar heart.

And you know what they say about where home is.