By Rev. Corey Meyer, Director of Mission Partnerships
Life has a way of taking us back to places we thought we once said goodbye to. There is in some way a ritual when leaving a place – we begin to take in the sights, the smells, the tastes, the memories of laughter and crying, the ways we have grown and changed. As we gather up along our belongings, we also create a suitcase of memories that we will carry with us onto our next destination. This was certainly true for me when I decided to leave Missouri for seminary. But, there was another goodbye tucked away in another suitcase of memories that I unexpectedly had the opportunity to open again this week.
The route to Tall Oaks Conference Center was new to me because the last time I was there I could not drive myself. But once I was on the grounds suddenly I was taken back to my youth group days – a very much younger Corey suddenly came back. It had been over 10 years since I was there for a weekend retreat with my home church. In those days I had not the slightest idea what the future would hold for me in my career and journeys, so when I said goodbye it felt like a goodbye forever. As I pulled into the grounds I was suddenly overwhelmed with smells, tastes, conversations, and names of old friends.
I had forgotten all the ways this place helped shape the person I am today. Memories of laughter and emotions were swirling around in every space I walked. It’s incredible the way our memory keeps old experiences tucked away until one little spark happens. And here I was now back in the same space ready to add on new memories of relationships and inspiration. There at our staff retreat this week suddenly two persons met – a boy who grew in the light of mentors and old friends and a man who was ready to grow in the light of colleagues and new friends. I imagine we all have these places that we once said goodbye to and find ourselves back at some point in our lives. It’s those places that connect us to something deeper; it’s those places that remind us of the mysterious way that God leads us through the world. Where are those places for you?
