Where to start when there is so much to tell you about my beautiful friend Eileen. 

Let’s start with the origin of the name Eileen – It originates from France and the spiritual meaning is: Torch of Light, Light, Beauty! Well what more could I say, because this sums up my friend perfectly. 

Eileen and I met about a year ago when I first joined PAS through the Palmyra Group. I had seen the advert for PAS in The Record on several occasions and it sat in the back of my mind for quite some time and simply wouldn’t go away, until one day I took a leap of faith and made the call. This was a turning point for me and at the time I did not know the huge impact this decision would have on my life’s journey. 

I was invited to join the group one Monday evening, to come and find out what it’s all about and this is where I first met the lovely Miss Eileen. Right from the get go she came over and introduced herself. 

She was so interested to find out who I was, where I came from, what I was doing at Palmyra – because they didn’t need any more Advocates – you know!. At the time Eileen had another Advocate but this did not stop her from making me feel extremely welcome and she even invited me to sit with her and her Advocate and proceeded to show me how to do the sand craft activity that they were busy with. 

Not a moment went by that she didn’t check to see how I was or whether I wanted another turn. She made sure to include me in the conversation and when it came time for Agape she jumped up to make her Advocate and I both a coffee. Some months later, due to circumstances, I was asked to be Eileen’s Advocate and that’s when the friendship really began. 

We love having girl time and going for coffee together when the weather permits and on the weeks that we don’t have PAS we enjoy catching up over the phone. She is never short of a story to tell but always makes sure to ask how my sons are doing and what I’ve been up to. She has a fantastic memory and will often remind me of conversations that we’ve had in the past and follow up to see if anything else has eventuated. 

Eileen loves her family dearly and speaks very highly of them all. She is a very proud Aunty and is always telling me stories of her young niece who she simply adores. She also has a new baby nephew and it brings a real spark to her eyes when she talks about him. Her favourite thing to do on the weekend is to go shopping with her mum and sister especially when they spoil her! Eileen has an amazing sense of humour and loves to have a good laugh at a funny joke or silly situation. 

Her favourite story, that she loves retelling, is of the day when we went down to Bicton waterfront for games and supper with the rest of the Palmyra group. We were sitting on the grass having a snack when we witnessed a Water Heron gulping down two rats for its dinner, right in front of us! She loves this story so much and we often have a good chuckle over it. 

Eileen is such a thoughtful, empathetic and caring young lady, always making sure that everyone around her is taken care of and is the first to hop up and offer a visitor a cuppa or hand leftovers around to the group at Agape. I look forward to collecting her each week because she always hops into the car with a big smile on her face and chats away as we make our way to PAS. 

She always brings along a favourite music cd which we turn up loud on the way to PAS. I have learned so much from Eileen in the short time that we have known each other, and I know I have much more to learn. She has taught me patience, how to really listen – “with both ears” as my mother would say, and how to look at life through a different lens. 

They say “God works in mysterious ways” and this couldn’t be more true, when I found out recently that Eileen’s mum and I sometimes read together at Mass at St Benedict’s Parish! 

Bev