On three separate occasions in the last few days, I have had the opportunity to spend time catching up with other friends who have lived here on the island for the last fifteen years or more. With so much change coming at our island from so many different directions, there was something very comforting about talking with friends who have been through life with us over a decade and a half. We can reflect on how things were, think about the things that we have been through together, and then build upon those experiences to look at what the future might hold.
What is remarkable in this day and age of division is that we have quite a diverse spread of religious and political beliefs, and also differences of opinions about what should happen in our community, but we still have solid friendships. The thing that binds us together is our shared experiences that come from being a part of this unique island community over those years. We’ve seen major employers go bankrupt, natural disasters strike our homes, people with big dreams come talking big games only to flame out, and dear members of our community pass away or move to the mainland. Essentially, we have shared some significant moments together, and those experiences have provided common ground for us.
I certainly don’t mean to suggest that we all had exactly the same experiences while going through these events together. For a multitude of reasons, the actual impact on each one of us as individuals was different, and sometimes that difference was considerable. However, by going through these events as members of the same community, we have shared those impacts and helped each other to navigate them as best as possible. The end result is that there is a communal knowledge base of how the events of the past have impacted our community.
Since it appears that our community is standing on the precipice of major change, our ability to view current events and proposals through the lens of our common experiences can help us significantly to navigate the future together. Again, since we have different beliefs and opinions, we may have a different preference for what might happen. However, we at least have a common understanding of where things are and how things could play out in the future. We can speak realistically about what might happen without anyone thinking that we are trying to project a potential outcome based upon our own personal agendas.
As a community, we have survived the major changes that were thrust upon us in the past. We certainly came out battered and bruised from some of those experiences, but by going through them together, we came out of them stronger. It remains a choice to face the future with a similar attitude. Speaking as one who loves this special island community, I pray that you will decide to embrace this same approach today, facing our future as a member of a unique family that draws its strength from walking through life together.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron