Maureen Anderson and Henry Thompson met with Laura Dunkel at Henry's
house on the evening of 12 June, 2013, following Laura's application
for membership in Southeast Scotland Area Meeting

Laura was moved to think about herself and how she was living by some
events in her life a few years ago.  Something she read helped her see
that she was looking for a way to allow a Higher Power into her life.
A period of intensive reading and seeking followed, during which she
came more and more to look for reality as what was within her, rather
than outside her, and that listening inwards for the promptings of a
Higher Power could help her understand how she ought to live her life.

Laura felt a strong sense of recognition when she read about the
testimonies, and the Quaker way of worship.  Although attending Quaker
meeting was one of several attempts she made at this time to
participate in organised worship, she wasn't comfortable with any of
them.

Harvey Gilman's book helped her towards beginning worship in her home,
and with some encouragment from a new partner, she started attending
Polmont, which _did_ feel right: there was an immediate sense of
recognition, of coming to a place she already somehow knew.  She has
always been comfortable and at home there, over time coming to know
the members of the Meeting well.

Having been called to attend GM in Glasgow, nearly not managing it
because of the need to register as a non-Member, but being very warmly
helped over the difficulties, crystallised Laura's desire to join the
Society: "I want feel part of this family".

After a few conversations and some further reflection, and attendance
at several Area Meetings, she decided the time was right to apply.

Laura has found the group involvement in the decision process at
Meeting for Worship for Business very positive, and misses that, and
the silence, in meetings in her daily life.  Instead of speaking for
speaking's sake, just to fill the silence, the sense of _waiting_,
waiting for the right words, which we have in a Meeting for Worship,
is so much more satisfactory.

Recognising that the Spirit is behind a contribution to worship, both
for others and herself, has been an important insight.

Laura wasn't brought up in a church, but not anti-church either.
She's talked a bit with her mother about her spiritual journey, and with her brother and his partner and her family
more widely about what she is finding with friends. She has been talking more about Quakers with friends
and family lately, and finding some surprisingly receptive responses.
People are interested in how she can be quiet for so long, and she
tries to explain that it's not awkward or uncomfortable.

Her partner has been very supportive about her Quaker commitment, and
ways in which her involvement with Quakers is leading her to want to
make changes in how she lives her life.

Laura took part in a Becoming Friends group not long after she started
at Polmont.  The diversity of experience and attitude she found there
was both challenging and encouraging: all different, but all the same
as well.  More recently she led a session of the Polmont discussion
group on Equity and Social Justice.  Polmont's regular discussion
sessions have also deepened her connection with the other members of
the meeting, growing out of the experiences that others have offered.

The experience of regular prayer, as well AS praying in times of challenge in her life, both for
herself and for others around her, and the sense of support this
brings, is an important affirmation of the reality of the spiritual
background to her life.

Being in a job were tackling inequality was part of the remit really
connected with our testimonies for Laura, and hearing people's stories
in that work likewise made that connection.

Similarly the influence of the peace testimony has turned up
repeatedly in her work context.

Respecting that of God in everyone, and in particular making the
connection between that and "thinking that you may be mistaken", is
another important part of how Laura is growing into Quakerism.

Actively working to avoid deception, going beyond just avoiding
falsehood, is part of the same process.

Laura is impressed by the way Polmont meeting chooses to support a
wide range of charities, and how that challenges her to look beyond
the list of her regular contributions, particularly to smaller/less
aggressively advertised groups.

Laura likes it that Quakerism is a faith about questions -- being on a
journey is now about learning more about being a Quaker for Laura, and
that's a long-term commitment.

We are all more than satisfied that Laura has indeed found her
spiritual family, and that ratifying this with Membership is the right
thing for her and for us.