The joy of renewing old aquaintances
"There’s no pleasure like meeting an old friend except, perhaps, making a new one. " Rudyard Kipling.
I've experienced both pleasures since I moved back to Southampton in August after a gap of 22 years. Some of those from the past that I have become reacquainted with include parents of former primary school classmates, former classmates themselves at both primary and secondary school, friends of our family as well as actual relatives who live in the area many of whom I have only seen at weddings and funerals over the years (cousins galore, a few uncles and aunts). I've been surprised by how much these encounters have meant to me. There are also those with whom I have kept in regular contact over the years whom it is a pleasure to now be able to see more regularly again.
These renewed relationships have helped me to overcome the fact that I have left behind many dear friends in Liverpool with whom I am, however, remaining in regular contact. Our Founder, Fr. Jean-Marie De La Mennais, places great emphasis in his writings on the quality of our human relationships and the importance of developing and maintaining a network of such relationships as an aspect of our apostolate, but also simply because there is goodness (or should I say God-ness) in them.
I've experienced both pleasures since I moved back to Southampton in August after a gap of 22 years. Some of those from the past that I have become reacquainted with include parents of former primary school classmates, former classmates themselves at both primary and secondary school, friends of our family as well as actual relatives who live in the area many of whom I have only seen at weddings and funerals over the years (cousins galore, a few uncles and aunts). I've been surprised by how much these encounters have meant to me. There are also those with whom I have kept in regular contact over the years whom it is a pleasure to now be able to see more regularly again.
These renewed relationships have helped me to overcome the fact that I have left behind many dear friends in Liverpool with whom I am, however, remaining in regular contact. Our Founder, Fr. Jean-Marie De La Mennais, places great emphasis in his writings on the quality of our human relationships and the importance of developing and maintaining a network of such relationships as an aspect of our apostolate, but also simply because there is goodness (or should I say God-ness) in them.
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