03/07/2025
“Don’t forget about the good times!”
I wish I could.
If only I could forget the good times, maybe I wouldn’t care so much. Maybe I would be able to leave a review and forget about it—like a restaurant that disappointed.
If it had only been all bad, maybe losing it wouldn’t be painful. After all, we grieve the loss of what we love, not what we hate.
•••
“Don’t forget how many good people are in it!”
I wish I could.
If only I could forget about all the good people, maybe losing their friendship, respect, and love wouldn’t be so hard.
If only they were all bad, maybe it wouldn’t bother me to see them isolated and divided from the Body of Christ at large. Maybe I could be numb to the fact that so many are living in fear of “missing heaven by an inch,” and hoping a strict dress code will secure their salvation.
•••
Alas, it wasn’t all bad.
There are so many fond memories—picnics, potlucks, prayer meetings, baptisms, graduations, weddings, celebrations...
But that’s all they are now, just memories.
Many of us can’t even go back to visit or pick up the phone to call. Some of us were told in no uncertain terms we’re not welcome and not wanted. We reached out only to find our number’s blocked.
We’re the enemy now.
Because we disagree that Scripture requires a particular dress code, disagree that the Church is limited to a particular movement.
And for this “sin” we lost the world as we knew it, we lost the world we loved.
If only it had all been bad.
If only there weren’t so many good times and good people that, try as we might, we’ll never forget.
