The last year has been a productive time for me. I have managed to fulfil many of the tick boxes mentally listed, partly because I have had the family at home to embolden me to keep going, just knowing that they are around to call if I …( read more )

Sometimes, I feel that much of my life has been spent in a waiting room. In my overseas travels, a great deal of time is spent waiting in airport lounges, in lineups, sitting on planes as they idle on the tarmac, and resting during the …( read more )

One thing that is obvious to me and others is that, as I age, both my body and mind (which Paul describes as my "outer self") are deteriorating. Some years ago, my son hosted a party to celebrate my 80th birthday. One of the guests, a …( read more )

Ouch! After once again trying to wear my new — but too tight — pair of slippers, I retreated to my comfortable, well-worn ones, thankful for the bit of support that they still had. As I pondered the new, rarely worn, rather tight, …( read more )

If I didn't pay, I couldn't talk. As my wife and I sat on the front porch of the hundred-year-old home that we rented, we often heard it ring — a pay phone situated next to an old country store across the road. Each night around the …( read more )

The morning was chaotic, not much different than any other 1940s morning, having many interruptions. My sister-in-law quickly reached for her second apron before her neighbour arrived for coffee. She tied it securely at the waist over the …( read more )

I walk for stress relief and exercise. I also daily thank God for my numerous blessings. I believe that God has called me to minister to those who are grieving, ill, and struggling. However, the other day, I was having a pity party. I …( read more )

In his encyclical on the environment, Laudato si (Praise be to you), Pope Francis wrote: Human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself. …( read more )

Recently, I did something foolish. It began with a decision to brew some specialty coffee as a morning treat for myself. Soon, the lovely cinnamon-hazelnut aroma filled the air. That was a treat in itself! With great anticipation, I poured …( read more )

One of the effects of the pandemic that we regret the most is that many church sanctuaries have been closed. It is important to lament the loss of what has been. It is important to lament the loss of people who have died as a result of …( read more )