Here's to friends.

Sometimes it easy to forget just what friends mean to us.  All too often we take people for granted and vastly under estimate just what those people in our lives give us when they bestow their friendships up on us.  Friendship is a very precious gift that is not given easily and should be received as if you were being given a basket of the finest jewels and precious metals.  Friends are there to enrich our lives, give us advice (even if its not always what we want to hear), laugh with us, cry with us and always support us through the hard times.  It is therefore, our responsibility to return such amazing gifts in the same vein.

I adore my friends.  I'm a very typical Capricorn and as such I have few true friends and many acquaintances.  This suits me fine as when I forge a friendship I create a bond that would cause me to move mountains to support my friends.  I have friends that have been in my life for a great many years, we may not chat for years but when we do it's like we've never been apart.  I also have friends that have been in my life for a short time but in that short time have made a real impact on me.  I consider myself very lucky indeed.

Very sadly the world lost a very special man.  He went home to spirit last week after a short illness.  It is very rare that we, as earth bound spirits, get to experience the love and light of an angel but this man truly was an angel that walked amongst us.  He was a wonderful person.  I was fortunate to work with him for a short time.  He would volunteer on my ward once a week.  Now the ward I used to manage was a rehab unit for people who had suffered a stroke.  Life changing and very scary.  Our dear friend would rumble up the ward with his tea trolley spreading love, light and laughter in his wake.  Now doing a tea round on a ward where many people are unable to drink is no mean feat.  Our angel knew this and instead shared his time.  Talking, laughing, listening, running small errands, reading letters and cards if they were unable to do so for themselves and just being with them.  Truly a selfless person and I will never be able to express to him just how big a difference he made.  He will be missed so profoundly but I know that I will be lucky enough to see him again and hopefully taste his tea.  Thank you for all that you gave us, we are all so grateful and we all hope that we we're able to give you something back in any small way that we could.

On a lighter note I had a wonderful telephone call today from a friend from my home church.  Saying how missed we are and that they are looking forward to seeing us again.  How wonderful it is to know that out of sight isn't out of mind.  In a week where we have lost someone so special it feels so comforting that we still have each other.

We also had a visit from some wonderful friends from home.  Red wine became Mars Bar Vodka which randomly became a cup of tea!!!  Clearly something went very wrong there.  Mad cap gin fuelled japes that always caused us to pack away anything valuable and hide the fine china became a nice cuppa and a reclining deck chair gazing up at the stars.  Bliss.  Candles in there little jars flickering away on the lawn as we were fortunate enough to view shooting stars.  It became clear to me that we were simply enjoying each others company.  To sit in the peace with wonderful people and enjoy natures gifts is honestly so satisfying I can't tell you.

I know that today post seems very stayed and grown up but sometimes its just the way it must be.  I promise to make you laugh next time.

Welcome to my growing band of followers in the good 'ole US of A.  Howdy!  Hello to to those of you in Japan, Russia and Germany.  I will have some more creations to show you all in my next post. :-)

In memory of Pete Kelly.  

Sweet dreams.