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It’s that time of year again. We’re bombarded with
back-to-school sales, and back-to-school shopping.
The nation is preparing to send hundreds of thousands of
children, young adults, and non-traditional students
back into the academic setting. While some meet this
back-to-school reality with sadness over another summer
past, I greet each new school year with great
enthusiasm.
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The Rev. Diane
Dardón (far left) and women of Lutheran Campus Ministry,
Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL. |
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As a campus pastor, I am always excited about
reunions with amazing young adults returning to campus.
I look forward to meeting new students and learning
about their hopes and dreams. I am energized as life,
relationships, and blessings on campus unfold.
Building
a friendship
Several years ago, I met two young women whose lives
connected when they were randomly chosen to be college
roommates. When I first met the roommates I was
astonished at the friendship these two women—who seemed
to be complete opposites—had developed so quickly. As
time passed and the women became involved in campus
ministry, I marveled at the joy these friends found in
each other and in life in general. One day I asked them
how they came to be so close and they shared a story of
friendship made strong by faith.
When Liz and
Tania learned they would be college roommates, they got
to know each other through e-mails and text messages.
Daily e-mails flew over the miles and text messages
became the norm as two young women from different
backgrounds and communities began building a friendship.
They made plans for decorating their room. They arranged
their schedules so they’d arrive on campus at the same
time. They discussed their majors and signed up together
for intramural sports.
When they
finally met face to face, the women embraced as if they
were friends who had known each other for ages. An
electronic friendship became an electrified friendship
that grew as the days unfolded. But the real growth and
strength in the friendship came when Tania mustered the
courage to talk to Liz about things of faith. (continued
on next page) |
