January 11th: 2026

Richard Rolle born in 1300 said:

‘You who are the most lovely

lovable and beautiful,

remember that is through you

that I am no longer afraid of any passing power’.

Thomas Keating.  Died 2018

‘The effectiveness of every action depends on the source from which it springs’.

When the craziness, violence and general inhumanity in parts of our planet become overwhelming I turn for a reset to beauty.  Whether it be in landscape or the simple ways of bird life to find food, keep warm and survive or the writings of someone who like a dart, flies to the heart of the target and illuminates what is true and real, I am always blessed immediately by an encounter.   Yesterday I opened my back door to clear the gutter of leaves and met a tiny robin so fluffed up against the cold that it looked like a miniature, elderly matron wrapped in shawls.  Both of us, not expecting this encounter,  for a magical moment eyeballed each other.

Then without any sign of fear or distress, robin hopped off about it’s business.   Later, with a steaming cup of tea I read the words above.

Seven hundred years separates the two, one a mad hermit whom the Sisters wished to canonize but the church would have none of it, he was a troublesome thorn and they were thankful when he died.  Keating on the other hand, was a Trappist Monk, a  revered Abbott of our times, opening up new understandings of Intefaith dialogue and a key innovator of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer.   Both men, in their times had more of their fair share of trial and tribulation and both lived in a world torn by conflict and horror.

The simplicity of their writing, the absoluteness of their Love and the Truth their words carry keep my head and heart tuned to what is uplifting, calling me to remember, to devote my time to gentleness, kindness, appreciation of ‘other’ to turn immediately from unkind thoughts, revenge fantasies and to have exchanges with neighbours that enliven our day.

Thank you, fellow Well Keepers for our journey together.

Blessings, Serena