A memorable meal
Do you remember when... I went to a memorial meal at Norwich Theatre Royal and saw many people I used to work with, to celebrate the life of our colleague who passed away.
It was lovely to see friends and remember the times from the photo album where we all looked so young. I still have the same spot on my chin today, which was a revelation.
Working there was like being part of a family and full of real respect and love for those past and present.
Recently I also managed to find my friend I went to university with after losing touch over the years. I hope she wanted to be found, of course she did, we have been texting a lot and it is a friendship that has easily restarted from where we left off.
Although with mobile phones.
Yes it was that long ago, mobile phones at that time were for the very rich and important, the size of bricks, whereas we queued up outside the red phone box to call our parents once a term to remind them we were alive and ask to borrow money. Maybe not even in that order.
Do you remember when... is a phrase often used to start our conversations and reminisce about a time in our lives that was happy and filled with friendship.
It is fun to reminisce, but also healthy to live in the present. Life naturally changes, people lead their own path, time does not stand still.
When my friend and I graduated, the guest speaker talked about lifelong learning.
Our degree was in English Literature and Theatre Studies and I suppose the stuff of youth means we think we know about the world.
I believe theatre is one of the best training grounds and seeing live performance will always impact in some way.
As part of the commemoration to our colleague the Four Quartets by TS Eliot were recited, by heart, by Peter Wilson, MBE, who was appointed as the county’s vice lord-lieutenant.
As my boss, back in the day, and as many people mentioned at the gathering he was a great boss to work for. I thank him for being the kind of leading-man that you can remember with respect and guiding by example. A true gent.
The idea of lifelong learning stuck with me at my graduation ceremony, but life doesn’t just happen in books, it must be lived, experienced, and learnt from.
“Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future.”
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
TS Eliot.
