Sunday, February 17, 2013

Milano, Fútbol, And A Sendoff

I'm going to miss Milano, my favourite coffee shop in the city.  I have a good number of memories of coming here alone or with others, before or after futbol, to read or write or think or all three.

This morning I went there one last time.


In the afternoon I played soccer with my fútbol friends.  Eight people came, including a few new players.  Just enough players to get a decent game going.

In the evening these same friends had a sendoff for me.

While I'm really not in a mood to celebrate anything nowadays, I'm grateful for their efforts in making my sendoff special.

The most important lesson I've learned from these great friends of mine is how to enjoy the simple pleasures of life: a good game of soccer, a glass of wine, a weekend get-together, a night of board games, a good movie, and on goes the list.

I sometimes get frustrated because the depth of conversations is not always to my liking, particularly when it comes to matters of the Divine and Providence.  On this matter our views digress, sometimes substantially, and that has been a challenge for me, having grown up and always lived around others with similar viewpoints.  Perhaps that's part of the reason God brought these wonderful souls into my life: to teach me tolerance, grace, to take me out of my theological shell, and ultimately, to grow my faith in Him.

So, I'm thankful for these great friends.  Their company has been a gift to me, over and over again.

Thank you Lord.  May they be on the receiving end of your Love, Grace, and Peace, always.



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