Personal: Grow old along with me; the best is yet to be

Today's picture (man and woman holding hands) is just adorable. My heart goes "Aww" every time I flip past it.

One of the things I still find myself studying even after graduation is the complicated maneuvers of human relationships. As I contemplate how leaving the country in a month will change things for people I know, I am amazed at how generous people are with their time, and their prayers, and their finances.

It makes me think about something I read long ago by Henri Nouwen:

It is sad to see that, in our highly competitive and greedy world, we have lost touch with the joy of giving. We often live as if our happiness depended on having. But I don't know anyone who is really happy because of what he or she has. True joy, happiness and inner peace come from the giving of ourselves to others. A happy life is a life for others.

I was talking with a good friend about this a few days ago and again yesterday: there are lots of ways to be generous and good relationships need a huge measure of trust and partnership in order to survive. Though I don't have many material possessions, I do have time and so that's what I'm going to give. I have this next year of no mortgage payments, no car insurance, no family obligations, no romantic entanglements, and no small children. God has given me a whole year to give without regard for anything other than the needs of the Swedish people. How exciting is that?