Meeting an old friend at the airport

Day 798 of 1000

I was able to pick up a friend at the airport today.  It was a joy to be with him.  He is an encouragement just by his very existence and the course he has taken for his life.  It is my hope that other people have someone in their life that they wish they could somehow repay, but do not have the means.  It is a feeling that is humbling, but very, very good.  Sometimes, I find myself in a particular set of circumstances where I want to be a help, but am unable to do it.  It makes me want to work to get the circumstances right to be able to be a help more.

All of this made me think about my brother-in-law, Rigoberto and his wife Minita. I told my friend that I picked up from the airport about them.  Recently, they had occasion to move to a place many hundreds of miles from where they were born and raised.  Rigo moved because he got a better job, but there was something bigger going on.  It turns out they found themselves in a place where they could be a very big help and encouragement to a lot of people and a huge example to their elementary school age children.  They miss out on a ton of stuff that being close to grandparents and nuclear family might help, but would not be possible if they were not a long way from home on their own.

I know this all sounds a little cryptic, but I was reminded of the need to be humble enough, willing, and ready to go anywhere I am called.  I do not know if this make any sense, but it seems like a lot more spiritual growth occurs when one is being a help then being helped.  I suppose it might have something to do with ones stage of life, too, but, for me, I feel a pretty big need to be up and doing, now, while I have time and opportunity.

Update:  The guercos in the picture are Christian and Kelly circa 2000.