I bumped into a member of the church I had my last placement in this morning. We chatted for a little while and she was really happy to see me and interested in where I am now.
I told her where I was and I was still in the middle of the selection process. "Oh, I really enjoyed hearing you during your time with us" she told me "I would be surprised if you weren't selected".
I was really quite touched by her sincerity, warmth and genuine interest in how I am. My encounter with her really lifted me and has shown me my time at my last placement did leave a positive impression.
Thank God for that!
It really is lovely when your ex-"parishioners" stop you and ask how you are getting on - especially when you had a bad experience! 5 years on from my own "annus horibilis" I still get that parish asking about me - where are you now? when is your ordination? how are you doing? and best of all - we really liked having you!
ReplyDeleteTime lends perspective and it certainly was a learning experience - but the hurt remains.
Good luck and keep enjoying your new experiences!