Thoughts on Parting

For Christmas I bought myself a copy of CORAL ISLAND by R.M. Ballantyne from Vision Forum Ministries. While I am busy reading a number of other more theological books, I have been reading a chapter of the Ballantyne book here and there since January and finally finished it a few nights ago. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading it aloud the kids at a later time. I thought the final chapter had a particularly thoughtful passage about “parting.” Here is a brief excerpt.

To part is the lot of all mankind . The world is
a scene of constant leave-taking, and the hands that
grasp in cordial greeting to-day, are doomed ere
long to unite for the last time, when the quivering
lips pronounce the word—” Farewell” It is a sad
thought, but should we on that account exclude it
from our minds ? May not a lesson worth learning
be gathered in the contemplation of it ? May it not,
perchance, teach us to devote our thoughts more frequently
and attentively to that land where we meet,
but part no more ?

How many do we part from in this world with a
light ” Good-bye,” whom we never see again! Often
do I think, in my meditations on this subject, that
if we realized more fully the shortness of the fleeting
intercourse that we have in this world with
many of our fellow-men, we would try more
earnestly to do them good, to give them a friendly
smile, as it were, in passing (for the longest intercourse
on earth is little more than a passing word
and glance), and show that we have sympathy with
them in the short quick struggle of Life, by our kindly
words and looks and actions.