The people who run this website, Microsoft, power companies…in short the whole interdependent world.

Anything or any experience that opens my mind to a deeper understanding of the wonder of being alive, eg a baby’s laugh, a seed coming up, returning to health after sickness, the new moon with Venus in close attendance…all those peak experiences…

Jesus Christ, the love of my life and all the people of the world he died to draw together as one. I meet them all in daily meditation and prayer. Or should I say we all meet together as one.

I can offer to the world my love of life: thanks to its beauty that nourishes my soul, its abundance that feeds, clothes and shelters me, the millions of brothers and sisters it has given me to cherish in daily contact and through prayer and meditation and sharing of resources. This is my life work.

The title of your blog attracted me, “Grateful for Getting Older”, my birthday having just past and most of my birthday cards having had a very large 90 embossed on them, even though I still feel about six. And I get as much fun as I ever did from the dandelions and the daisies, the roses and the orchids. Everything you wrote is just so true. Thank you.

The gift to be fully present in each moment and true to my pathway in life, especially when the path takes a new direction.

A long time ago when I was very young I received words of encouragement and appreciation from a friend and work colleague. This was a new experience for me and I was blown away by her kindness, her friendship, her warmth.

The first answer that came to my mind was, ‘hundreds of them, maybe thousands, or more.’ I come across them all the time. So I’ll select two of my favourites: The man born blind from John’s Gospel and Helen Keller.

I am part of the great fullness of life because I am here. Now. If I am not here something is missing from the great fullness of life. If I am fully here, all is well, complete, as it should be.
‘Now is the acceptable time, now is the time of salvation.’ when I have reached my final now moment I will be absorbed into the total fullness of life.

Unity – ‘That they may be one as I and the Father are one.’
Jesus

I have learned to go through the day in a leisurely manner and to do small tasks well and with focus and not get pressured by fretting about the things I’ve still got to do or should be doing or want to be doing. Paradoxically I find myself doing lots more twice as well with enjoyment and at the end of the day I enjoy a good sleep too. Now that’s something to be grateful for.

Food, clothing. shelter, health care, education, caring family, good neighbours and friends, a country that values freedom and equality for all. I am also aware that I do not have to go very far from where I am sitting now to find the opposite of all that and the main focus of our new government is: to end
child poverty. There is much work to do before we all learn to share.

As an appreciator, but sometimes I launch into creation too – in the garden, writing, even painting – but my paints have dried up.

Dawn and dusk. Light comes slowly and ebbs slowly. Life begins life ends. Breathe in breathe out. It’s all part of the rhythm of life.

Great. What I was trying to say but couldn’t quite make it!

Good on you. It’s hard work!

An article by Brother David can be found on gratefulness. org/resources/a-new-reason-for-gratefulness that explains what I am trying to say much better than I can.

I don’t think the great fullness of their lives has been crushed out for ever. It has taken on a new dimension that we cannot understand yet but will someday. Meanwhile we can only stand with the grieving families and grieve with them. And have faith to know that the fullness of life has in no way be diminished.

Going through a period of grief takes a long time I will keep you in my thoughts and prayer.