How Did We Get to Be Here?

Stephen Sondheim's musical, "Merrily We Roll Along," asks the question, "How did we get to be here?" Focusing on a group of long-time friends, how their lives together ebb and flow, how physical distance creates emotional distance, and how sometimes you have to let go before you can go on living. This weekend was a whirlwind, but it forced me to ask that question - "Just how did we get to be here?"

I flew to Columbus, Ohio this weekend in what was quite possibly the craziest idea ever - but an idea that was hatched out of love, friendship, and hope. My friend Matt is turning 30 this week and his partner decided to suprise him by getting our group of friends from high school together for a little reunion lunch. What quite possibly could have been the worst day ever (we liked each other in high school, but twelve years later is a different story), was an afternoon of food, laughter, food, memories, and of course, more food. We hadn't been together since before our friend Clayton had committed suicide in the spring of 1999. We shared stories, memories, and we welcomed new members into the circle: Ryan's wife, Tina, and their daughter, Audrey Ann; and Matt's partner, Matt (yes, it can be confusing).

At the end of the day, I flew back to Washington, DC, aking myself that question. How did we, a handful of band geeks from the hills of Southeastern Ohio, get to be where we are - in many ways I think we're still the same handful - but what is it that defines who we are? In some ways, it's the same things that made the day so wonderful - we got to be where we are - and who we are - through love, friendship, and hope.

As the journey of Advent comes to an end, I can't think of a better way to remind myself of the Incarnation.