to stay

As the school year draws to a close, we have been saying good-bye to several friends who are moving away from Boston. More than any other year, I have felt a good amount of joy in sending them off. Yes, it is sad that they will no longer be part of our immediate community, and yes, we do wish they would stay and for our families to grow together. But as Jason and I have been talking the last few weeks, we've also felt very thankful to have had these friendships over the course of the last year(s) and glad that we've had the chance to invest in each other however short or long.

As Jason and I have been thinking about this season in our lives, we have felt more and more that we are called to stay in Boston. Not necessarily forever, or even for a very long time, but for now, in this season, we feel we are in the right place. We also feel that part of staying is investing in and building friendships/partnerships with people who leave. That is the reality of being part of the city, part of the culture, and part of our church community here. Sure, we actively pray for long-term friendships and partnerships here (and those do exist), but we also take joy in the ones that last only a year or two years or five years.  Really, in light of eternity, what is the difference between 1 year and 50 years anyway?

So just processing out-loud what I have been thinking about recently - that perhaps feeling the nudge to stay does not only mean seeking out others who also want to stay (though that is certainly an important part of it), but also investing in and embracing those who likely may leave. Some of our most encouraging and rich friendships have come from these places.