Ambassadors from the Past

I am lucky enough keep in touch with a lot of people from my childhood, among them family friends Sharon and Chuck Little.  We belonged to the same church, spent time as families together, and later was coached on the volleyball team under Sharon.  So we go back.  

About a year ago, Chuck and Sharon both wrote me saying that they were looking into coming out to China on a trip.  Then, months later, they had booked a trip and wrote me saying that they hoped to meet up.  I wrote the date on the calendar and went back to my life, the possibility of meeting up months away from thought.  Suddenly, months had passed and Sharon and Chuck were leaving for China.  My COS was the same weekend that they would be in Chengdu, so we shared contact info and hopes of meeting up with each other.  

I wasn't even sure if I would have time to see my family friends, but the morning after the COS conference and with the help from Paul in getting directions, a said goodbye to my friends and lugged my bag and my heavy heart into the cab.

I sat in the restaurant waiting for the Littles, not even really thinking about the meeting, my head swimming with the emotions of the end of my Peace Corps experience.  Then I heard a group of people approaching and looked up to see Chuck and Sharon.  Suddenly my heart was overflowing, my eyes accompanying it, unprepared for the feelings that were suddenly stirred up at seeing people from my past.  We all ran to each other.  Hugging them, I felt as if they were my Mom and Dad's ambassadors, people that had seen me throughout my life and been nothing but concerned, interested, supportive, and loving.  I cried, thinking how lucky I felt to have them there.  

We talked, laughed, and shared stories, them just coming from Tibet and full of ideas and feelings, me being able to listen and totally understand.  They introduced me to the other travelers in their cozy group and asked me to talk to them all for a bit and tell them about my life as a volunteer teacher in China.  Since we were meeting over lunch just before the Littles had to leave to catch their flight back to America, I asked if I could join them on their bus, not wanting the visit to be over.  

At the airport, we hugged for the last time, bring a fresh stream of tears to my eyes and spilling down my cheeks.  Sharon hugged me once more, saying how proud she was of me, that she had known I would be something way back when. I watched them as they walked towards and through the gates, waving each time Sharon looked back.

The visit was over before I knew it, but was more meaningful than I had even thought possible.