Once upon a time, many years ago, Tim and I had this cute little thing we did when we were telling each other we were on our way to where the other person was. When I say a long time a go, I mean we’re talking digital beeper ages when *o*3*071 came across the screen as an upside down “I love you.”
If I was at home and headed to the bowling alley where he worked, for example, I would call his pager and leave a “321” message.

321, GO!

321 meant that I had just started my race to be where he was. Later, when we had cell phones that you could type messages back and forth to each other with the number pad, he would “321” me when he left work to let me know he was racing to where I was. We’ve had 30+ years of 321’s racing back and forth to be together. It’s who we are and what we do.

Recently, I opened a message from a friend named Tiffany. She was asking me if I had left yet headed her way, but instead of asking in sentences, she said, “321?” It really made me think about how many people I know that 321 with us. My children, obviously took our cute code word into their adulthoods, but so did my best friends, my daughter-in-law, my students from teaching days, my church and now, my Tiffany.

321.

321 isn’t just “Here I come!” anymore. It’s a very short way of saying, “I’m part of your wild clan and I either need you to know I’m on my way, or I need you to be on the way to me!”

True love is hand-me-down in all the ways that make it beautiful. I have to hope that every person that’s close enough to have a code word vocabulary with me will one day feel the love I’ve felt, know the faith I know and have the hope I hope.

Tim loves me. I love Tim. We love them. They love us and others. 321.

Never underestimate the precious power of community.