Dear friends and family,
I arrived safely in Cambridge last night, only to dash off again tomorrow to Heathrow to meet one of my best new friends and fly to Rome.
I’ve just spent the most lovely and difficult 24 hours with this family – only difficult because they are so loving, genuine, hospitable, and British I almost don’t know what to do with myself. At half past 9 last night after meeting Dana at the train station (my second cousin once removed - or whatever the relation is) I stepped into her and her husband’s flat to find myself faced with four church leaders (including Dana’s husband, Mark) discussing the heres and theres of deaths, marriages, and denominations over tea, all very distinct and agreeable personalities, all very British. From my small exposure at Findhorn and my huge dose in the last day or so, I’ve found British humor extremely enjoyable, and I have often just sat back and relished it rather than bursting out laughing (the former goes over much better in respectable company). I had the pleasure of having afternoon roast with Mark, Dana, and a friend of the family named Betty (formally Elizabeth) whom Mark described as “refreshing” and “outside of the box” – and she was indeed, quite charmingly chatty and rather opinionated about the way things should be done and especially how they should be written and spoken. I truly enjoyed her company, especially because (in spite of her firm beliefs about the English language) she regularly stepped back and got a good chuckle out of her own personality.
After Sunday roast Dana and I wandered the streets of Cambridge, admiring the stately, imposing colleges and cobblestone streets while listening to the jingle of sleigh bells in the newly constructed behemoth of a shopping mall just one street over. I met one of their three daughters, Rachel, who seemed incredibly mature for her age, but had a gaiety about her which - whether it’s conscious or not - must have something to do with how wonderful her parents are. After tea with Dana and a wonderful conversation about her work in family therapy, it was back to the flat to sit on couches, talk, drink more tea, and watch the end of Miracle on 34th Street (which I was actually a bit disturbed by this time around. I can’t imagine showing this to my children in good conscience. Am I becoming a Values Snob?). Tears welled up in my eyes after we all said goodnight. I can hardly believe this is real… it’s not as if I haven’t experienced great generosity before, but something about the mercy of stepping out of such an intense and life-changing experience as Findhorn into such a solid, warm & homey atmosphere just chokes me up.
Let’s hope the rest of my trip goes this well, or that I can bring some of this safety and warmth to wherever I end up; there’s plenty to go around.
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You were probably responding to my subliminal reactions to "Miracle..." - It's never been one of my favorites either. You'll notice its conspicuous absence in my holiday movie pile...What a marvelous snapshot of time with Mark and Dana(actually your first cousin once removed - their girls are your second cousins...)Our hearts and prayers go with you for other such blessed times this December :) always, ~mom
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