Rain with a touch of anticipation

I’ve settled into my room at Saint Mary’s University with a big sigh of relief. I won’t have to pack again for another 11 days. I’m in the Rice Residence, which I think is a good thing. It’s got to be better than the Pasta or Potato Residence. I’ve heard they are SUPER starchy.

Delegates to the Anglican Editors Conference are leaving and there is a single day of respite before the 400 delegates to General Synod arrive. I am enjoying the quiet.

Then, just after videotaping some interviews with early arrivals, I see a man walking down the hall ahead of me. He looks suspiciously familiar. It’s Fred! I break into a trot. Who knows when I’m going to get another chance to say ‘hi’ to the Primate? There he is, wearing his clericals and carrying a small briefcase. His wife Lynn is with him. Both are smiling as they stop to greet me. They must be so happy to be home, to be in Nova Scotia.

We joke that maybe we should be taking “before” and “after” photos of General Synod delegates. We all suspect we may not look this good at the end of the meeting. +Fred is on his way to an all-day meeting of the Anglican Foundation.

From my room, I have a clear view of the athletics field. The Saint Mary’s football team, the Huskies, has been practising and playing for the last four days. But today, the bodies running on the track are a lot smaller. They belong to elementary school students who look to be about 10-12 years of age. They seem deliriously happy. And why not? There’s no school today! It’s Track and Field Day!

Watching them brings back a lot of memories. There’s the softball throw (wow, that kid really has an arm). There’s the running broad jump (different growth rates are still giving some kids a distinct advantage.). There’s the relay race…

Did I mention that it’s raining?

No one who lives here seems to care. In fact, if there’s one thing that stands out for me, on the eve of General Synod, it’s that Haligonians barely seem to notice the rain.

Kristin Jenkins is the editor of the Anglican Journal.