old friends, book ends...

I had lunch today with Mary Ann Logue. I've known her since the early '80's of the last century. That qualifies as 'old friends' I think.

I presented her for confirmation into the Episcopal Church and then presented her for ordination into the priesthood and then she worked with me as my assistant at St. John's in Waterbury for a few years.

We share a lot of history and it is always a joy to be with her and relive some of it. We also share a left-wing Democrat view of the political landscape, which makes us 'book ends'. We lingered over cheeseburgers at the Whitney Center in Hamden for about two hours. I showed her pictures of Mimi and Tim's wedding. She told me about health stuff and her family. I talked a long time about the Making a Difference workshop and my involvement with it. If she wasn't in her 80's and having trouble getting around, I would have tried to enroll her!

She told me she was too old for it but enjoyed what I told her about it.

She sometimes goes to St. Paul's/St. James in New Haven. But most Sunday she comes down to the Bistro in the morning, sits near the wall to ceiling window and becomes what she started out as--a Quaker.

Many Episcopal priests, if you asked them what they would be if they weren't Episcopalian would say "Quaker".

Isn't that odd? From pomp and circumstance to contemplation. Not bad sides of the same coin, in my mind.

The last line of the Simon and Garfunkel song which is the title of this post says this: "Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you."

Old friends matter so much. Don't lose touch with yours....