Before Christmas break, I was lucky enough to have my dear friend, Annie, come all the way to Dublin to spend a few days with me! Being friends for ten years now and having spent several Christmases together, Annie is more a sister then a friend.
When she came to visit (after several years of not seeing her), we caught up on each other's lives as well as our individual work. That's right, we spent most of our time in Trinity's Postgraduate Reading Room studying next to each other. Even though we didn't do much sightseeing, it was more important to just be with each other even if it meant working silently next to one another. There is something wonderful about having such a friend who just wants to be around you and isn't concerned with the external entertainment. Although I did get her out the last night and I took her to my favorite pub in Dublin with live music. Bonus: Her trip to Dublin turned into her spending the Christmas break with us back in Florida! As she spent the Christmas holidays with us, I realized what a gift she is for me as well as my family. If there is one thing I have learned through family and friends like Annie: each person has a unique impact and purpose. Every individual God places in our lives should transform our relationships and build upon our sense of a growing and continually creative family. Annie brings enthusiasm, affection, joy, quirkiness, and a sense of belonging.
