The air is filled with a heavy silence. It presses in, and makes the mind to race. After two beautiful weeks of joyful laughter, joke-making, profound conversations, and music ringing through the house, everyone has left, and the house is filled with an uncomfortable stillness.
The kitchen counter is covered with red and blue plastic cups. Cups that have been christened certain names. Sister Anselma, Stephen, The Abbot, Lor Ber Ter, George Rocks, Sister Kathryn, Jesse, The Kitchen Chikkin, Gaffy, Parker Amos, Mrs. Sumpter, Hannanah, Nunk Abi, Lizzly, and many, many others.
I pick up the cups and read the names. Some of the names are inside jokes(The Kitchen Chikkin), while others are quite plain indeed (Stephen). Stephen was very creative with his cups. I laugh aloud as I run across two more Stephens.
Red and blue, plain and fancy, memories flooding in...
And then, it all comes at once. Memories, memories, how beautiful and painful they are. But I think not only of this Hill Abbey, but of the Summer Academy and the Texas Trip. And the Hill Abbey from last summer. And then the Summer Academy and Greek in a Week in Pennsylvania. A tear falls for the Hill Abbey 2008. Abi, Stephen, Parker, Kate, Hannah, Liz, Grace Anne.... A tear falls for the Summer Academy 2008. Mandy, Zack, Hannah, Clayton, Cristina, Ethan, Abbie... A tear for the Texas Trip too. And one for the Hill Abbey last year. Zach, Kate, Matthew, Mary, Courtney, Grace Anne ...
But now memories from Greek In A Week and the Summer Academy take over. Dancing in the rain, singing by the piano, Michael Buble on Saturday morning, picking berries, lunch breaks, reading church history, teaching Andrew the Final Dip, singing in the car with Jonathan, polkaing with Manuel, wandering in the Green Dragon, late night chats with Shannon and Kate, swinging on the swings with Claire, doing the dishes, taking hundreds of pictures, eating pizza on Friday night... Manuel, Kate, Jonathan, Shannon, Andrew, EA, Clayton ...
Memories are beautiful, wonderful things, but why oh why do they all have to come at once? And why did they have to come now?
I glance at the cups in my hands. Stephen and Grace Anne. A tear for them, and a sob for the distance between us all. What a blessing it is. What a wonderful Lord we serve, in that He can bring people so close together in such a short time.
Red, blue, plain, fancy, memories flooding in....
The kitchen counter is covered with red and blue plastic cups. Cups that have been christened certain names. Sister Anselma, Stephen, The Abbot, Lor Ber Ter, George Rocks, Sister Kathryn, Jesse, The Kitchen Chikkin, Gaffy, Parker Amos, Mrs. Sumpter, Hannanah, Nunk Abi, Lizzly, and many, many others.
I pick up the cups and read the names. Some of the names are inside jokes(The Kitchen Chikkin), while others are quite plain indeed (Stephen). Stephen was very creative with his cups. I laugh aloud as I run across two more Stephens.
Red and blue, plain and fancy, memories flooding in...
And then, it all comes at once. Memories, memories, how beautiful and painful they are. But I think not only of this Hill Abbey, but of the Summer Academy and the Texas Trip. And the Hill Abbey from last summer. And then the Summer Academy and Greek in a Week in Pennsylvania. A tear falls for the Hill Abbey 2008. Abi, Stephen, Parker, Kate, Hannah, Liz, Grace Anne.... A tear falls for the Summer Academy 2008. Mandy, Zack, Hannah, Clayton, Cristina, Ethan, Abbie... A tear for the Texas Trip too. And one for the Hill Abbey last year. Zach, Kate, Matthew, Mary, Courtney, Grace Anne ...
But now memories from Greek In A Week and the Summer Academy take over. Dancing in the rain, singing by the piano, Michael Buble on Saturday morning, picking berries, lunch breaks, reading church history, teaching Andrew the Final Dip, singing in the car with Jonathan, polkaing with Manuel, wandering in the Green Dragon, late night chats with Shannon and Kate, swinging on the swings with Claire, doing the dishes, taking hundreds of pictures, eating pizza on Friday night... Manuel, Kate, Jonathan, Shannon, Andrew, EA, Clayton ...
Memories are beautiful, wonderful things, but why oh why do they all have to come at once? And why did they have to come now?
I glance at the cups in my hands. Stephen and Grace Anne. A tear for them, and a sob for the distance between us all. What a blessing it is. What a wonderful Lord we serve, in that He can bring people so close together in such a short time.
Red, blue, plain, fancy, memories flooding in....
3 comments:
Faith. :-) This is beautiful. And I know exactly how you're feeling.
*hug* There's such a bittersweet connection between the blessing of the wonderful times we had with our friends... and the time and distance that separates us all now. I know exactly how you feel :) Beautiful post, dear.
*sniff* I miss you girls. *sigh*
I think I need to go post a song now. :)
Love you both!
Post a Comment