It started with the word, Behold—a word I cling to all semester. The word ‘Behold’ in the Bible always precluded the work of restoration the Lord does.

I never would have expected this season would be one of the greatest blessings of my life. This one year, I was blessed with a team of 10 who revealed to me the beauty of unconditional love through friendship.

The kind of friendship that accepts and embraces you for who you are. 

The kind that, stretches, challenges, and grows you.

The kind that is life-giving and redemptive. 

The kind that makes goodbyes so hard.

I think of how different each of us are yet we grew to such depth, embrace and love for each other.I think about how fulfilling it is to embrace the purpose of we are created to for --to love and be loved. I think about how stunted I was my ability to love and how much I've grown through receiving them.  I've learnt humility, honesty, and vulnerability.

Loving may risk a heartbreak, but it is better to love than to not feel at all. C.S. Lewis put it eloquently.

“Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements, lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfish change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation.”

Human beings are most free and alive in relationships of love. I was deficient of love, not knowing the depth and beauty it bears. I was brought up in a culture where material provision is the ultimate marker of "love". To risk being vulnerable and honest with others are risky but it is incredibly rewarding, demon-shattering, and God-glorifying. To be known and to be so loved is one of the sweetest blessings in life. It is much.. much like God’s love.

All year, I held on to the verse that there will be wonderful joy ahead. Indeed, the Lord has done great things and I am filled with great joy.

May love abounds all the more.

X,

Tam