Every spring, while the whole world is bursting with new life, I say goodbye to dozens of students I’ve gotten to know by name. Sometimes, I know much more than their name. I know what they like to eat and what they want to do with their lives. I have not only made food for them, but I’ve also shared meals with them. Perhaps I’ve had the privilege of being there for them when a crisis hit. I love wishing them well in their new life, but I also live through the season of spring feeling great loss—loss of relationships and opportunities to take them much deeper.
A few years ago, I read this quote: “Ruth, wherever you go in life, unpack your bags—physically and mentally—and plant trees. Too many people never live in the now because they assume the time is too short to settle in. They don’t plant trees because they expect to be gone before the trees bear fruit. But if you keep thinking about the next move, you’ll never live fully where you are. When it’s time to go, then it’s time to go. But you won’t have missed what this experience was about. If you never eat from the trees, someone else will.” This quote revolutionized the way I think about relationships.
I have learned that it is worth investing in every person I meet. It could be as small as a smile or as big as having a shoulder to cry on. It is not just because I want to live with no regrets. It’s because it is the way of Jesus. Jesus showed worth, dignity, and respect to everyone, no matter how badly they marred the image of God.
While it is not always easy to live this way, God has given me glimpses of the fruit. Maybe it’s the words, “This is the first place I came when I got back into town.” A young lady I unofficially mentored came to my workplace before she left to go home, because she wanted to tell me that her grandma might be dying. Another young couple chose us to host their post-engagement brunch because Sowers had been such a crucial part of their relationship. This way of living has enlarged my heart, and I am much richer for it.
In the dark of night, when life is full of goodbyes and my mind fills with familiar faces that span the globe, I pick up my guitar. I claim the blessing of Numbers 6, because the Lord promised, “If you pronounce this blessing over the people, I will bless them.” When the tears come and I wonder, “Why this place?”, I remember that it's worth planting the trees even if I never eat the fruit.