was a line I came across in a bible passage I read recently. It really stuck me as true because without doubt, the relationships in my life are the most precious things I have. I’ve lost friends over the years and every time it has hurt a lot because that person nearly always meant a great deal to me. And I still miss them because they have left a hole in my heart where they used to occupy. The love I received and indeed continue to receive has added wonderful colour to my life and made me so happy time and time again. I often feel like there is no way of really thanking these people for this other than to be the best friend I know how to be. We support each other as best we can. There are a few people who have really gone above and beyond the call of duty while I have been out here. It has reminded me of just how much I love receiving stuff by post. There is something really special about receiving a letter that somebody has taken the time to sit down; craft in their head all those thoughts, pieces on news and funny incidents and then finally and carefully transfer onto paper, where there is no backspace key or spell checker. I cherish those letters and indeed the postcards, birthday cards, and photos that have also turned up to further brighten my days here.
Somebody though has even gone beyond that. Aoibhinn, my favourite cousin in the whole world has sent me so many books and so much chocolate that I couldn’t quite believe it when I saw the parcels. When I got home the other night I made myself a cup of proper coffee (still loving that I am able to drink coffee again) and had a cold Maltesers bar. As I munched through the bar, I thought that my dearest cousin really is a goddess, with a heart made of pure gold and who represents, I sometimes forget, my oldest friendship, starting at the tender age of 3. Now I just have to engage my (often feeble) will-power and not devour the whole lot within a week or two and instead eke it out like I am doing with the letters and cards many of my lovely friends gave me just before I left.
Sometimes
I don’t know what I would do without my friendships. I feel like my life would be in greyscale rather than Technicolor and I would only be a shadow of the person I am today. I miss those friendships here and it’s one of the things I look forward to going back to at the end of the year. I wonder though, when was the last time you told your dearest friends just how much they mean to you…? Your sentimental reporter in the middle of nowhere
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