A Christmas card from Tony and Maria. A simple yet sincere thought that sent all the memories running back.
I remember the day in 2006 when i was walking in the city with Jeny and chanced upon a 'volunteer needed' sign on the door of St. Stephen's Cathedral Gift Shop. Afraid but full of excitement, i daringly walked into the busy shop and signed up for the job. The rest is beautiful history...
Sacrificing my class-less day for an early morning at work was sometimes a pain but once at the shop, all dreariness vanished. I enjoyed every second that i spent in that small shop, selling products, meeting new faces and talking to people. And i learned how to work the cash register (one of the things i've always wanted to do - super fun!).
Slowly, colleagues and my boss turned into family.
If someone were to tell me that i would have friends over 50 years of age (Pris is 70ish!), i would never have believed them. The huge age gap would only bring awkwardness. But awkward it was not.
We may not have hit the pubs together. They don't share my passion for pop concerts. But we do bond in mysterious ways. We shared happy lunches together. We gossiped. We talked about celebrities and fashion. But most of all, they exposed me to a much more mature world that i never knew. And i was blessed with so much love and all those hugs that kept coming and coming!
Val and George, thank you for everything! Thank you for treating me like your own daughter. I can never thank y'all enough for all that you've done. And to the rest of my St. Stephen's Cathedral Gift Shop babes - Ana, Priscilla, Maria - i miss all of you! And we sure as heck rocked the shop!
Take care. Lea loves y'all heaps!
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