Friends

Five friends (including the newly returned P19) modelling their dresses from Uganda which P19 brought them.

"The two girls parted with tears and vows of girlhood.  Never to meet on quite the same ground again.  For, disguise the fact as we will, when friends, even the closest -- perhaps the more because of that very closeness -- meet again after a separation there is always a chill, lesser or greater, of change.  Neither finds the other quite the same.  This is natural and inevitable.  Human nature is ever growing or retrogressing -- never stationary.  But still, with all our philosophy, who of us can repress a little feeling of bewildered disappointment when we realise that our friend is not and never can be just the same way as before -- even though the change may be by way of improvement?  Emily, with strange intuition which supplied the place of experience, felt this as Ilse did not, and felt that in a sense she was bidding good-bye for ever to the Ilse of New Moon days and Shrewsbury years."  from Emily's Quest by LM Montgomery

Those of us who are grown and have experienced saying good-by to good friends as we leave for or from school know all to well the feelings of the above quote.  Personally, I don't like change, even when it's good.  I get too comfortable with where I am.  I grieve just a little for this group of girls above.  They have been wonderful friends for the past three years and I have had the privilege of leading their Bible study group for that time.  They are a remarkable group of young women whom I love very much.  Many of them will be heading to college in the fall and in a small way, this picture is a historic moment.  My prayers for them include the hope that they will maintain the bonds of friendship they have now for the rest of their lives. 

________
Tomorrow and Saturday is the Illinois Home Educator's Conference... which is where I'll be.  Anyone else going?  Look for me and say 'hi' if you are.

Comments

MamaPPod said…
Just want to say that this made me cry. I hate this growing up and leaving home part of being a parent. I love that quote, because it said it so clearly - none of them are, nor will be, who they were last August when P left, and I wonder if they can maintain the relationships they have now that three of them are off in the world. Sigh...
6/02/2011 3:15 PM
thecurryseven said…
M. says I shouldn't make you cry... that's it's mean.

e
6/02/2011 4:48 PM
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