The
33 Year Perspective
At the time of this writing, I find myself
waiting. I’m not complaining or grumbling, but then again, I can’t
say I’m overjoyed. Sure, I’m trusting God and believing he has the
perfect solution to my problem; however, I still feel uneasy and
nervous. Through a recent life experience and Bible lessons, God
has prepared me for this time of waiting. I’ve thanked God for the
trial, but I can’t say I like it—yet.
Recently Ron and I attended a high school
reunion. Not knowing what to expect, I didn’t have a strategy for
approaching the reunion, so I just went with the flow of meeting
and greeting people I hadn’t seen or communicated with in over 33
years. If I had known then what I know now, I would have prepared
some key questions to ask so I could have connected beyond a surface
level; but as it was, the reunion turned out to be a time to see
how everyone has aged.
Actually, God used the experience to open
my eyes to a valuable lesson about the temporal and the eternal.
I stood amazed at how people had changed. The impact was even greater
because the reunion took place on our high school campus. Rather
than a bunch of old people getting together to talk about old times
in a conference room, it felt more like a time-warp, in which we
were all transported back to the scene where values were different
and life was all about image and status.
I spoke with Grace, now a smiling, plump,
divorced, mother of one, high school teacher. This formerly drop-dead-gorgeous
homecoming queen has changed—a lot. Then I marveled at Davia. I
remembered her in high school as beautiful, popular, dressed in
the latest fashions, nose in the air, bound for the most elite college
and snootiest sorority. I was amazed as she greeted me at the reunion:
jolly, friendly, outgoing, with a chunky figure.
My mouth dropped open when I met Donna.
I barely remembered her as being on the outskirts of high school
society. At 51 years, she now looks like a 30-year-old blonde model
with a tall, slim, knockout body.
I didn’t recognize Kim at first. In my
senior year, she was a sophomore cheerleader. I wasn’t fond of her
as I thought her pushy and self-centered. (I think most of us were
back then.) Funny thing though, I really like her now. I found myself
wishing we could get together and start a friendship.
What truly amazes me is how all the things
that seemed so desperately important in high school, simply no longer
matter. After 33 years, who was Homecoming queen and who was class
president, the sporting events, the dances, the fleeting friendships,
and the struggles for status, are all so far removed it is almost
like they never happened.
At 51-years-old, I finally have enough
years behind me to suspect that God is right when he tells us to
adopt an eternal perspective. I can almost get a grip on this passage
from 2 Corinthians: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our
eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen
is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
So today, as I wait for God’s will in my
problem, I choose to adopt an eternal perspective, recognizing that
in another 33 years, that which seems so important to me now, will
long be resolved or insignificant. And 33 years after that, when
I will no doubt have taken my place in eternity, I will look back
on my life as a passing vapor, and finally recognize those things
of true importance.
Cyndie Hamley
(2003) |
Reliving
high school memories
in front of my
old locker.
|