It's funny how fast "someday" and "eventually" arrives. Over the past few days, I spent time with the dearest of friends and it was wonderful. But, as we talked and laughed around the glow of the campfire, it became obvious to all, that "someday" was arriving sooner than we originally thought.
When we first met, we were just middle schoolers. We laughed and joked about our futures. We dreamed about "someday," and never once did we realize how fast it would appear. We were once middle school girls, lost in the grips of childhood. But, as the campfire grew cold, we accepted the fact that we had grown. We had grown into young women who would soon be presented with opportunities and difficult decisions.
Every summer brought new adventures, experiences, and opportunity that we encountered TOGETHER. But, this trip we took. This adventure that brought laughter and deep conversations, held a sense of finality. We may not have spoke about it to often, but it lingered in the air as the fire danced within the dark. It was the last trip where we would ALL be together. It's bittersweet to admit. But, next summer will be a time of new opportunities and adventures that we may not experience together.
Next summer we will be graduates. We will be young women with a college diploma in our hands and job opportunities that may take us away from each other. We won't be dreaming of "someday" anymore. But rather, we will be hoping for "one day." One day where we can ALL come together again and enjoy the warmth of the fire; together, reminiscing about the past and hoping for the future.
It may be the last time that we adventure together. But, that doesn't mean that the embers will grow eternally cold. But rather, they will stay warm and they hold the opportunity to be rekindled "someday." As we move forward and all encounter new opportunities. As some of us move away, as some of us settle down and others leap into new adventures, I know that it's not "goodbye." But rather, it's "see you later," because I think God has great plans not only for us as individuals, but also for us TOGETHER.