BLOG 15
The RARE EVENT described below occurred about 20 years ago. What happened is described in the words of one of my old friends.
Around 1990, I was a pastor in Southern California, where “Bill” was one of my best friends and strongest supporters in a conflicted congregation. Sadly, Bill and his wife drifted apart over foundational life issues and Bill began an extramarital relationship. This prompted him to move out of his home and [eventually] end his marriage. He left the church and withdrew from his friends, resisting attempts from me and others to work out the issues he was facing. Soon after, Bill dropped out of sight and I had no idea where he was.
Two years later I moved to Washington DC to lead a less conflicted congregation.
In November of 2000 I traveled to Southern California for a conference in Pasadena. I stayed at the Courtyard Hotel in Pasadena, a five-story hotel with a multi-tiered parking garage which offered guests direct access to their room’s floor. It was late Friday night when I returned to my hotel after visiting old friends; and I wound my way up to the fourth level of the garage, followed all the way up by two people on motor cycles.
As I parked, they pulled past me a bit and parked on the fourth level. It was a very chilly night and as I got out of my car, I called over to the two people dismounting their Harley’s in the dimly lit garage: “Kind of cold to be on a motor cycle tonight . . . .”
The response was startling: “Yes, Bob, it’s pretty cold.”
Here I was alone, 3000 miles from home and two strangers were coming toward me. As I stood near the door in better light, the two cyclists came closer and I could clearly see the man’s face. Suddenly I realized – I knew the guy who answered me – These Harley riders were my old friend Bill and his new wife.
Agreeing to meet in the bar for a beverage of our choice – we ended up talking until 4 AM.
It turns out that Bill had moved from California two years before. He had established residence in Las Vegas, sold his business in California and moved. This particular weekend, he was in Pasadena to receive an award as “Alumnus of the Year” from this alma mater.
Bill and I have had a renewed friendship for the last ten years that has been significant to both of us. We have visited annually during that time and he has invested generously in my ministry. A new book, I just wrote, [Click Here to Review] is dedicated to Bill and his wife.
After hearing my friend’s story, the question that comes to my mind is – Did this chance meeting in a parking garage occur so that two friends might renew a needed longer lasting relationship? – Or was this meeting a serendipitous one that “just happened” for no particular reason at all.
As the reader – What do you think?
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