It is unusual to overtly seek to renew really old relationship. Those old friendships usually are difficult to rekindle unless they are convenient to your home or destination. Reasons for reunions are many but today, may be simply to really get to renew relationships that mean a lot to us. There is also the fact that we have all lost some important aspects of important people from our past due to many reasons.
We overlook many opportunities due laziness, a perception that seeking renewal is "just too much trouble", or simply using the telephone, Facebook, Twitter, etc. to replace face to face aspect of maintaining a relationships. Technical apps allow us to speak with friends over the internet but it is not the same as face to face conversation. Long standing relationships still require the step of personal encounter to truly enjoy knowing friends. Fortunately, my bride has humored me and allowed me to spend much of the summer catching upon the lives of good friends from the past and also with relatives.
First there was a trip to Florida to see my brother, his family, and a neighbor from the farm next door to where we grew up. We then traveled to Indiana for my fiftieth college reunion {That figure must be wrong. I can't be that old?). We saw people we haven't seen in more years than I care to admit. What a great blessing to find out that we have all had lives highlighted by good times, great times, and ,yes, some very tragic losses of loved ones. Following that great weekend, I went fishing with two of my brothers and son in law in Lake Erie. We stayed the night in a double wide, played cards, ate at a greasy spoon, and then got up at 4 in the morning to fish at 6AM. Lots of effort to go catch some fish but, in the end, it was worth every minute because we talked , laughed, and reminisced about life. The life we were blessed to share growing up. Yes, reunions take extra effort and even some unexpected expense but they are a great investment.
It doesn't matter how much time has passed since you have last seen a friend. It only matters that you get to see people you love and appreciate. When we die, money means nothing nor do the size of our home or car. The legacy of love we leave with the people we love will continue to grow. Investment in reunions with people you care about pay great dividends in life.
Take time to love your family and friends.
In Him
Dean