I'm in the midst of a season of travel. Just back from Virginia where I connected with two old friends. Back in 1984 we had gone through Celebration of Discipline together. 22 years later, it was great to spend time with Butch and Gary by a lake near Charlottesville. It's funny how, though we've all taken on these leader personas, still down deep, we're cut-ups who have managed to suppress but not kill our sophomoric sides. We spent a lot of time debriefing one another on our lives - the twists and turns they've taken, the mistakes we've made, and so on.

Along the way, I was blessed to also visit old friends while in Charlottesville. Unlike some who like their privacy when they travel, I prefer to stay in homes. Anna Goode treated me like a king - she made us both Caesar-like crowns.

When I came home, Karen asked me about the trip - she debriefed me. We talked about what happened and why. Karen asked me questions. And as I was thinking about debriefing, I realized that this is a regular activity for people who care about one another. Not only is it how we grow spiritually, it's how we stay connected to those whom we care about.

Mothers debrief their children when they return home from school: "What did you learn at school today?" And we parents do it with our daughters after they go off on dates: "Tell me everything that happened!"

So we debrief to grow spiritually, but we also debrief to connect with those we care about.

Next blog: Debriefing - areas to cover.