Last night I was reflecting on the gospel passage (Lk 15, 4-6) about the shepherd who leaves the 99 in the flock to chase after the one stray, and the joy that results when he is found.
Our former son-in-law, who asked me to sponsor him in the RCIA process in '06, soon thereafter divorced our daughter. Since a brief attempt at reconciling that made clear he hadn't dealt with his underlying issues, he hadn't been in contact with any of us in over a year. Even aside from his relationship with our daughter, we've missed him. He was part of our family, we've hurt deeply over his absence. Suddenly, he and our daughter are on friendly terms again, and he is back in our lives. What a joy!
Today we've learned that our youngest son-in-law is likely joining the Army. It's a great decision for him and his young family. Though I never mentioned it to them, I've always considered military service the most likely way for him to provide them with financial security and stability. Still, the thought of our three youngest grandchildren moving away saddens us greatly. We know that this is just a transition, that they will still be an important part of our lives, but being distant grandparents for the first time is definitely going to take some getting used to.
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