I spent this past weekend in the company of eight amazing women, aged 45 to 75. That is what they call intergenerational connection (I just learned the term, lol).
We travelled together to a women’s conference. Ate together, worshipped together, lodged in the same beautiful hotel. However, the memorable part of this trip was the after-meal conversations. The gist. The laughter. The teasing. The jokes that made our bellies ache and eyes teary.
You see, they were not exactly strangers, as we met often in our local fellowship, but until this trip, we did not really ‘know’ each other. Having each other for a whole weekend has a way of peeling layers.
Being around them reminded me of lessons that only age and life can teach you:
· You need complete trust in God.
· A good dose of love for people.
· And peace to accept your journey as it unfolds.
Let me say this, especially if you are in a new place or season:
Have you ever enjoyed the friendship of older women? Their conversations carry a different kind of wisdom. If you find yourself in a new location or community, do not shy away from seeking them out. They are often more patient, generous with their stories, and quick to offer perspective without pressure. You may not realise how much you need a slower, wiser voice until you sit with one. I may be wrong, but you will not know till you try.
Another memorable part of this weekend was something the guest speaker shared that stayed with me. She had left her home country (the US of A) 23 years ago and spoke about her struggle to fit in and belong. The way she told it with humour and tears had over 300 women laughing so hard we were teary-eyed.
But the truth behind her story hit differently because we all got it.
We may have come from different nations and backgrounds, but that desire to fit in, be accepted, is something every woman in that room had felt. I did too!!
Even now, I still find myself wrestling with that need to belong, to fit in… And if we are being honest, our children do too.
Not long ago, I caught my daughter doing something we had asked her not to. When I asked her why, she said:
“Mummy, I just wanted to belong.”
Whew!
I still think about that line.
Do we even, as grown women, still feel that? The need to adjust in subtle ways just to fit in or belong.
But what if we were never meant to fit in?
What if the difference is the point?
1 Corinthians 12:15 to 22 reminds us that we are all unique parts of one body, and even the parts that seem less visible are still essential.
vs 22 “…On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the body that seem to be weaker…”
That means when I feel out of place or different, it may just be that I am right where I should be.
The only person we are called to be like is Christ. That is all!
My word for you today is
- Be thankful for everything.
- Love people more.
- Stay committed to God.
- Do not rush through life.
- And please, stop trying to shrink into spaces you were never meant to fit in.
This weekend trip was the third on my travel list for the year, one I wrote out in March as part of my intention to live more fully. Slowly but surely, I am ticking them off. You can read about it here.
