Special Days

It was one of those nights. One of those utterly spontaneous moments of good friends, beautiful weather, and so many things to give praise for. God teaches us constantly how memorable each moment can be, and last night (in the company of so many nights with these amazing people) is firmly etched into the narrative of my time here.

Two weeks ago was a cam-intense discussion around nationality, psychology, culture and sociology that lasted late into the a.m.

One week ago consisted of a make-shift-turned-spectacular Easter dinner with good music, good wine, good food, great conversation, and a chocolate buffet with port from Portugal.

Last night was a celebratory night drinking Champagne on the Cam.

And . . .

Halfway around the world, across the Atlantic, 5728 kilometers away, my best friend turns 23 and makes a significant step into a year that will prove itself to be more challenging - and yet more fulfilling - than any she has lived. She will wake up in the morning of the Saturday, perhaps go for a run, and prepare to make dinner to share with her friends before they head over to an evening full of art and cocktails in preparation to give at least 20 hours of their lives to volunteering over the next 12 months. 23 years have prepared her to begin this journey, to put her actions where her heart is. She will answer that email invitation sitting in her inbox. Perhaps she already has.

2712 kilometers east of there, my best friend walks out of her exam, and takes a quick glance back at the medical school she will graduate from just two years from now. She packs her bags, throws them in the back seat of her SUV, and settles down for an anticipatory drive back to her home-town for a relaxing weekend filled with the warmth of her family and friends.

276 kilometers south of there, my best friend fingers the tips of the veil she hopes to wear 16 months from when she says "I do" in front of hundreds of those who have watched and shared in her joys and struggles. She looks at the clock and can't wait to have dinner with her best friend who is driving home for the weekend.

[...]

Four and a half years ago, my best friend sat in her room in the Hamptons printing off her predictions for our futures on hand-picked vellum from her favorite paper store. So it seems appropriate that on her 23rd birthday, I write this pastiche in honour of her.

[...]

The time in Cambridge, England is 1:35 am. In Toronto it's 8:35 pm. In Edmonton and Calgary it's 6:35 pm.

Separated by time and space, we are connected by God's grace poured out into our lives in abundance. These people make my life so rich.

Posted on April 22, 2006 at 07:30AM