Friends -- II

Date: 01 January 2009 08:08:50

Another great joy from my time in San José was meeting dear Melissa again; I had first met here in San Francisco in 2003; and sadly missed her due to work commitments when she graced our shores. She recommended meeting at Outback Steakhouse which was great fun. I got there a bit early, and started talking to an older woman who seemed to be fascinated my accent. Melissa then arrived and it was a great night of chatting, sharing and a great deal of fun -- as well as some great food [with fantastic names].

The fun continued when we met Ramsin and Grace and a friend of theirs [Melissa kindly pulled into a fast food restaurant on the way to let me relieve myself -- drink servings are very large in the US!], and then went back to Ramsin's place where we chatted until the early hours about all manner of things. It was truly great to see Melissa again, and I pray it is not 5-and-a-half years until our next meeting.

Monday lunch I met up with Shipmate Basso at the local Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant. It was wonderful to finally meet him and the food, and beer, was great. People so often say that they worry the Internet will result in less face-to-face interaction; through my get-togethers through the Ship [not so much now these days, but I still try and keep in touch] and the Wibsite I have to say I believe this to be rather false. I have made wonderful friends through the Internet, and I do not use the term friend lightly: they are true, and dear, friends. Thanks be to God.

I now am blessed to have friends of Ramsin who I count as dear friends of mine. Anthony, the deacon who translated the hymns and prayers I posted here is a great friend, as are his brother Alen and now sister-in-law Emma. Anthony and I share a love of a great many movies and books --though he is far wider read, and watched, than I am. We also talk a great deal about theology and Church Liturgy, and we have a shared love of many Eastern Saints such as St Ephrem the Syrian and I have learnt a great deal and had my faith much deepened through conversations with and suggestions of readings from him.

Much time on this holiday was spent with them, which was a joy and pleasure indeed. From dinners out [great Persian restaurant]; You-Sing-It Messiah; dinner and various games and fun on Christmas night at Anthony's; playing Guitar Hero; to my farewell dinner and games night [with plenty of laughs] to a walk in Los Gatos [where I left my camera battery charging at home...], the activities wee varied and numerous.

In addition, they all attend the same parish of the Assyrian Church of the East within the Chaldean Diocese, so on one Sunday and also on Christmas Eve I had the pleasure of seeing them there also, in addition to worshipping in this ancient Christian Church with its beautiful and moving liturgy and hymnody. It was also great to meet some friends of my friends, ranging from other deacons to those in the choir to parishioners -- all wonderful people.

On the topic of Church, I must thank God that through Ramsin He brought me back to regular church attendance [at a Anglican parish in Sydney] while I was at uni after leaving the church in my teenage years and having a strange and rather confused faith and belief of [rather than in] God. Grace was also a great encouragement during my time there. Ramsin and I both moved to "the East", myself to Eastern Orthodoxy and he back to the Church of his youth, the Assyrian Church of the East, and there have been many interesting conversations and shared discoveries along the way. An interesting, and unexpected journey; but one I thank him for being there and helping me to start it -- as well as continuing to help me, through his reading and knowledge and our conversations, to continue to grow in.

This was a truly most wondrous time with some most wonderful people...friends even. God willing I can see them and enjoy their company again soon.