Monday just gone, I took a train to Liverpool to meet up with three friends with whom I shared a cancer treatment journey, and who have stayed in touch.  Out of fifteen who began as a UK-wide support network, five have died, and mostly the rest of us keep up some degree of infrequent contact.

The four of us had a lovely time in this beautiful city, rode  the tour bus, strolled along the  water front, and stayed in a Travelodge overlooking the Albert Dock.

Yesterday I watched news reports of riots and fights... violence and abuse where just days earlier we had strolled and watched the world go by...

Tomorrow I'm back to Liverpool to meet another friend, who I met as a 'cancer blogger' back in the day, and we will intentionally go to the waterfront for lunch.

These friends and I have little in common, other than a medical diagnosis a long time ago.  We live in different places, have different political opinions, have different views on faith/religion/spirituality, different hopes and different fears... but we do have love... and tolerance, respect, tenacity, determination.

I guess one can focus on violence of a minority or the respect, tolerance and resilience of the minority.

Jesus told us to love our neighbours, and to pray for those who persecute us... sometimes either of these feels impossible, but that's maybe when they become all the more important...  All you need is love?  Well, so long as it is love lived out...