Amongst the mayhem of preparing to return to work, and to visit my parents for the first time with the girls this weekend, we had perhaps my oldest friend come to stay with us from Oklahoma for a few days. Finding time to spend with her was difficult but I somehow managed it - and rediscovered why we were friends, why those relationships are so important, and a reminder to try that much harder to keep in touch over the coming years.
During the evening we escaped for a few hours, we walked the lamp lit streets and talked a lot about strength, faith, experiences and belief - the deep stuff. We talked about where we were coming from, where we thought we were, and where we might be going - we listened to each other. We laughed at stories, and shared hopes.
It was therapeutic in a way I had not anticipated. I will store it in a box of memories close to hand, and take it out from time to time. It will remind me to give the important people a call from time to time.