Tuesday 1 January 2008

Absent Friends

After The Bells, and we had sung Auld Lang Syne, my mother used to raise a glass, "To absent friends." We ring out the old and we ring in the new and somehow it feels especially poignant if someone close to us is not present to accompany us over the threshhold into the new year.

When we know where our loved ones are, even when not present in body, we can feel a spiritual and emotional connection if the reason for their distance from us in known and understood. When we have no way of reconciling their absence, it feels like there is an empty place in the heart where that person should be. There is a part of us that will be left in the old year with memories of the missing loved one, unwilling to move on without them.

At this time of the turning of the year, let's think of the families who are missing a much-loved one of their members.

http://www.missingpeople.org.uk/

So many people who are missing and missed. So many absent friends.

So, here's to absent friends.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

A beautifully written blog Anna,there are currently 100 children on Scotland Yard's website,so many families living with the uncertainty.

Gill

AnnaEsse said...

Thank you, Gill. That is so sad.

Isabelle said...

Hi Anna,

So caring,so needed!!



with love

Isabelle

AnnaEsse said...

Isabelle and Gill, thank you. I am truly in the company of friends here.

So, here's to you. I raise a cyber glass and toast you who accompany me over the threshhold with kindness and friendship.

Anonymous said...

Friends united in the desire to make this world a better place to live.

A cyber glass amongst friends


Gill x x

Isabelle said...

Namaste Anna, xx

AnnaEsse said...

Here's tae us! Let the circle be unbroken.

Isabelle said...

Promised xx


I vowe the missing people won't be the forgotten people.