Commentary for Alumnus Yearning:

We are creatures of space and time, bound to a life of changes, both exhilarating and heart-wrenching. Visiting places dearly loved for times of deep fellowship in later years, drives home the point that those places really aren't the same without the lives of friends that peopled them before. The deep longing that then wells up inside us, though, bears witness to the truth that we also have a longing for the eternal. The writer of Ecclesiastes described so beautifully our unique creation by God, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men."

That wistful backward glance, then, reminds us that we yearn for eternity; for never having to say good-bye, for relishing in the fellowship of God and man forever. For now, though, change is here to stay and remains a part of God's creation. For now we must move on when we must and rest in the love of Christ and the love of friends, old and new, that we meet on our journey home.

Neil, things may not be exactly the same without the people you loved there, but it's sooooo worth going back to visit. Mountains in that part of the world are amazing. The pace of life is amazing. Hearing and speaking Hindi--for you, Urdu, I guess--is so swwetly familiar.

I know there's no magic place on earth that will fulfill us, but don't you ever feel like sometimes you're missing a specific place so much and it hurts so much that you try to persuade yourself that it's not really the place you're missing? Maybe I'm not making sense, but going back to India over Christmas reminded me just how much I do miss a concrete place and culture.

Amy, I agree. Murree would probably be quite moving if I were to go. And I so do appreciate mountains. I still do tend to strongly crossweave people and places in my mind, though, into an emotional, sensory block. Also, I have rather a funny relationship with Pakistan currently. I have relatives and friends there and I love many places, but do not have a strong desire to go just now. I cannot figure out all of the psychology of this, but I do think I am avoiding/burying things a bit.

Alas, the question is somewhat moot. Though, it would not be impossible for me to go to Pakistan just now, it is not safest place for a Christian with an American passport to be, unfortunately.