"Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away.
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day..."
I went to a St. Barnabas seniors meeting last week. It was, as Isobel put it, like stepping into a time warp. We sang old songs accompanied by an organ, there was a health spot, a joke spot and the chairs had cushions on them. Being on uni holidays and somewhat unemployed (3 hours of tutoring a week barely seems like employment at this stage), it fell to me to give a presentation on India to this lovely group of people. I spoke for at least 15-20 minutes, smiling with delight at those who nodded enthusiastically and with slight exasperation at those who were nodding off. Can't be helped when you get to a certain age I suppose. As I was leaving, I was presented with a gift of scorched almonds and a photo frame. Isn't that nice? And kind of funny? I wish seniors were apt with Facebook. Or rather... more seniors were like John Cochrane who is 70 and totally has Facebook and takes pictures with his camera phone. Legendary. Or I could've done something really crazy and gotten addresses and written letters to the new friends I made. Post still exists, you know. One of my most favourite things these days is getting a letter from my friend Stephanie who is on exchange in Germany. I'm very thankful that I gave her a letter writing set as a parting gift because a Facebook wall comment, indeed even a detailed email, has got absolutely nothing on the time and effort spent to compose handwritten pages.
Happy Valentine's Day. I'm a little indifferent to this holiday. And I really don't believe that would change whether I was in a relationship or not, which I know is the first thing you're thinking. Valentine's Day sells love short in my opinion. It's all about flowers and chocolate and teddy bears - it places too much emphasis on material items to express the most deep and powerful and complex emotion of all. If you're in love, I'm very happy for you. Enjoy today if it means something special to you. But I guess I'm hoping that eventually, everyday will feel like Valentine's Day because I'm with someone who is showing their love in ways that are a little more constant and original. No flowers. No chocolates. No stuffed toys. No cards. Absolutely no jewellery. That would be my policy if a certain somebody insisted on getting me a gift. And I'd rather that he donated it or something. Honestly.
I get to celebrate God's love everyday. Jesus doesn't offer prettily wrapped gifts or candy hearts, but I get salvation by his blood and that's what love really looks like. If this means nothing to you, then your perception of love is but a mere shadow of what it could be. You're only catching a glimpse of what it is to be loved:
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
I wrote it in lead pencil down the side of a white chest of drawers next to my bed. Lest I should forget! No Hallmark card can promise love like that.
Moving on yet again:
"It struck me as incomprehensible that I should be allowed to lead such a happy life, while I saw so many people around me wrestling with care and suffering... Then one brilliant summer morning... there came to me, as I awoke, the thought that I must not accept this happiness as a matter of course, but must give something in return for it."
-Albert Schweitzer
Sorry I couldn't maintain the whole simply-recalling-a-light-hearted-memory-for-your-enjoyment tone. I can't help it. Even when I'm not expecting to, I find I have something to say.
But that's why you keep reading, right?
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