Hi Jen A. Miller, thanks for this story which as any good story does touches on our own stories.
You highlight a truth which is although we may have moved on we can remain sentimental for what gave us comfort and perhaps as you write in moments of need we can still draw down on it.
All sorts of drawers open in me with this story though the one I will speak of now is summed up in the below photo.

This photo was posted on my Facebook timeline a few years ago and initially I thought , “ O no, I am going to block that!” Then I thought, “Gordon you are blocking your past and a part of who you are why worry what someone may think now.” So the photo has stayed.
It marks a time in my life when I was full of evangelical fervour. I had got good reason as it was a new awareness of faith that moved me from having a fear of Northern Irish Nationalist Catholics. In the process I had a dream in which I saw the words Christ Unites Ireland after which I propagated a vision of spiritual unity in Ireland. It did change my life and I was eager to share the message.
29 years on would I wear the T shirt? I don’t think so at least not with the same meaning as it had then.
Yet like you in moments of self doubt I remember the dream, the change and it still provides me with hope for the future.
You may well have given me an idea here to talk about all those photos that embarrass me.
g.

