Friends from long ago called in unexpectedly yesterday – members of a previous congregation. How lovely to exchange news and views and to remember times gone past with gratitude and humour. I guess it is one of the advantages of growing older. The hard knocks are softened and the gracious moments are even more glorious.
After they had gone I opened the mail………. yes, I know it was afternoon by then, but there had been serious sun-sitting-out-in time to enjoy in the morning. There was a copy of the magazine from my last congregation. I can honestly say that it was the first time I had received, read and digested it without a sense of loss. In other words, there was a lesson in all of this about moving on. It may have been over two years since ill-health caused me to retire, but I am only now learning what is needed to live life to the full in gratitude and with humour.