It's been a while again. I went to Brighton last week for a friend's wedding. I went for almost a week as a) I was a bridesmaid b) the engagement only took place a little while ago - so there was a fair bit to do c) I wanted to have time to catch up with friends in Brighton d) that train journey from Penzance to Brighton is looooong so wanted to make it worth it!
I had a really great time. It was the first time I'd been back in 5 months (yep, that's how long we've been in Cornwall now, can you believe it?!). I hit the trail end of some hot weather which was a treat. Right from getting off the train to boarding it again a week later my time was full of hanging out with brilliant friends that I've missed a-plenty in homes and cafes and pubs. What a joy to spend time with people who really know you, who allow you to speak honestly and openly right from the get-go, who encourage and laugh and pray with you. I feel very blessed. It made coming back to Cornwall hard, but that's a story for another day. Not that I wish I still lived in B-town, because I know my week did not reflect 'real life' - it was a bunch of highlights condensed into a short time without the going-to-work and the food-shopping and responsibility and etc etc part of it.
It was good to say hi to the beach again - a place so full of 8 years of memories. And I appreciated not driving and being able to walk everywhere. [OK for the first day or two I appreciated it and then my legs reminded me that I have not missed the late night weary hill-climbs that much]. I enjoyed observing the colour and variety of people, and felt even more out-of-fashion than usual! I visited my old places of work - Brighthelm Community Centre and The Duke of Wellington Pub and was happy to see they are doing well. I was not so happy about another hike in the bus prices. More shops and buildings have closed, others have opened. The old Co-op building on London Road is no more. Iydea and Food Iylic have reproduced. The life of a city, coming and going. Beginnings and endings.
I had coffee in Starbucks in Brighton for the first time ever. I try to avoid the mainstream coffee shops as there's so much choice in the city, I see no reason to support their world domination! But the friends sat upstairs won over my convictions that afternoon. People generally win for me, over the task, over the rules, over my attempted ethics...
...Like buying dinner at Asda at the Marina, (another company with too-much-power) and sitting on the beach with fellow bridesmaid and bride-to-be and eating roast chicken and having a moment of peace and calm in the midst of wedding preparation busy-ness. Almost 8 years ago exactly, I did the same thing with my family on my 19th birthday on the day that I moved to Brighton to start my studies at Sussex University. Except with a birthday cake instead of chicken.
I had dinner with friends I met soon after the birthday cake on the beach in 2005. Eight years on and we have learned to cook a little better, seen relationships come and go, danced together at the Breakdancing society, at house parties and in clubs. We've journeyed with God and church and housemates, asked lots of questions, agreed and disagreed. Drank red wine. Laughed, cried, hugged. Eaten together, drank more red wine. Prayed, teased each other, laughed. Here's to you, Jonathan and Chris.
I could write a post for each of the people I saw. Not today, maybe another time. I have a lot of heroes. Like Shonagh and Becky, to name two more, who never hesitate to offer a bed for me, and in a thousand unseen ways love people around them sacrificially and unselfishly. Thank you Brighton, for giving me them. The tears and the standing on the beach shouting into the waves, and the hundreds of times of wanting to escape, and the grey days and the questions, and the heavy heart days. They all seem worth it, when I think of the people you gave me.
This has got long, next post will be about the wedding! (But couldn't wait to share some photos, you can see them in my new 'photo' bit.
I had a really great time. It was the first time I'd been back in 5 months (yep, that's how long we've been in Cornwall now, can you believe it?!). I hit the trail end of some hot weather which was a treat. Right from getting off the train to boarding it again a week later my time was full of hanging out with brilliant friends that I've missed a-plenty in homes and cafes and pubs. What a joy to spend time with people who really know you, who allow you to speak honestly and openly right from the get-go, who encourage and laugh and pray with you. I feel very blessed. It made coming back to Cornwall hard, but that's a story for another day. Not that I wish I still lived in B-town, because I know my week did not reflect 'real life' - it was a bunch of highlights condensed into a short time without the going-to-work and the food-shopping and responsibility and etc etc part of it.
It was good to say hi to the beach again - a place so full of 8 years of memories. And I appreciated not driving and being able to walk everywhere. [OK for the first day or two I appreciated it and then my legs reminded me that I have not missed the late night weary hill-climbs that much]. I enjoyed observing the colour and variety of people, and felt even more out-of-fashion than usual! I visited my old places of work - Brighthelm Community Centre and The Duke of Wellington Pub and was happy to see they are doing well. I was not so happy about another hike in the bus prices. More shops and buildings have closed, others have opened. The old Co-op building on London Road is no more. Iydea and Food Iylic have reproduced. The life of a city, coming and going. Beginnings and endings.
I had coffee in Starbucks in Brighton for the first time ever. I try to avoid the mainstream coffee shops as there's so much choice in the city, I see no reason to support their world domination! But the friends sat upstairs won over my convictions that afternoon. People generally win for me, over the task, over the rules, over my attempted ethics...
I had dinner with friends I met soon after the birthday cake on the beach in 2005. Eight years on and we have learned to cook a little better, seen relationships come and go, danced together at the Breakdancing society, at house parties and in clubs. We've journeyed with God and church and housemates, asked lots of questions, agreed and disagreed. Drank red wine. Laughed, cried, hugged. Eaten together, drank more red wine. Prayed, teased each other, laughed. Here's to you, Jonathan and Chris.
I could write a post for each of the people I saw. Not today, maybe another time. I have a lot of heroes. Like Shonagh and Becky, to name two more, who never hesitate to offer a bed for me, and in a thousand unseen ways love people around them sacrificially and unselfishly. Thank you Brighton, for giving me them. The tears and the standing on the beach shouting into the waves, and the hundreds of times of wanting to escape, and the grey days and the questions, and the heavy heart days. They all seem worth it, when I think of the people you gave me.
This has got long, next post will be about the wedding! (But couldn't wait to share some photos, you can see them in my new 'photo' bit.
1 comment:
Ah, you make me want to go back! Glad you had such a great time there. x
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