The Meeting for Clearness
Charlotte
took two deep breaths and entered the room.
They all
sat in a small circle and started with a silence that lasted 10-15
minutes. Then Charlotte said how upset
she had been to witness the scene of Sean with another woman not suspecting
such a thing could happen in their relationship.
As she
sat in the group and felt the agitation gradually receding, she was after all
among Friends. Sean was his most agreeable, charming self as though nothing had
occurred of any significance. It was
only she who had this tumult of emotions, these angry feelings which possessed
her like a cruel joke.
Everyone
was invited to speak. How had she become
so embroiled in this conflict situation?
She
explained how she had thought she was in a committed relationship with Sean,
that as a couple she expected him to be respectful with her and not be intimate
with other women. Sean said that he had
lots of women friends, that he was very fond of Charlotte and had always tried
to be supportive.
“I never
lied Charlotte. You would like
Cindy. She has had such a bad time. Her father is such a bully and violent.”
Charlotte
looked at him. Good Grief! How could he say such a thing? He hadn’t a clue had
he?
For
charlotte the waking up to the real situation was painful. She realised that it was she who had made
assumptions about her relationship with Sean.
He was, is now, a nice man but not for her. She wanted permanence for
herself and her son. Sean just couldn’t adhere to that. It was not in his nature. He breezed through
life, not putting down roots. It wasn’t
that he didn’t care, he certainly did, but commitment to one situation or
person was an alien concept.
In the
silence she suddenly saw him, he didn’t have the same code of conduct that she
had. He was a supportive man. Then she had another thought. Were her
expectations too high? Had she projected onto him a relationship that was her
fantasy? With her own realisation came a clarity of mind, and a release not just
for her but for him.
She
looked at him and in a spirit of Loving Kindness she hoped he would meet a
woman that would blow him away and fulfil him, so that his need to be needed
wasn’t a problem in his life.
And as
gradually Charlotte’s mind gained clarity, she was calm. “So this is being in the Light” she thought.
Quietly she said,
“Sean, I
understand. I wish you well, and I hope
we can be friends from now on.”
Sean
looked relieved. There was a collective sigh.
There was
an intense silence as the group of Friends listened to this ministry and were
together in Spirit. After a while, the Elder shook hands and everyone shook
hands and the Meeting closed.
“So this
is Peace,” Charlotte thought.
It wasn’t
exciting or mind blowing or any kind of revelation. It was a sense of belonging, of being held
and contentment and a feeling of being able to carry on. There was a sense of freedom, of being
enabled. Was this God, was God
present? She still didn’t know. But she knew she was a Quaker and she was
willing to serve if they needed her.
read this fascinating love story and be prepared for tears.
"Romance Times Two"
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