P IS FOR PANDEMIC:
The three p's I think I miss the most are to quote my dear old mum are 1) "people, people and people" - helping from a distance, not being able to hug a friend in need, or chat on at the school or church gates or walking down the High Street / in the shops, but am very grateful for Zoom 2) peace during the day, which I never thought I would say, and 3) parish ministry / preaching...not the same on a piece of paper... no card offering help or reflection I write or call I make can make up for the vocational call to love and serve and share the good news (which I am finding a bit hard to do even at Easter)... On balance the three p's I am most thankful for are "people, people, people"- including certain inspirational leaders, those who give of their time so freely to help others, and for whom nothing is too much bother, 2) perspective - despite the extension, it could be worse, as we have freedom to roam in garden, woods, and down to the seaside on our walks, and are living in peacetime, and the inactivity means the world is healing and people will surely have a different worldview when this is over, and finally 3) printing/phones/postage and of course posting here - the first three of which I used much before this happened but which have come into their own again as we contact "the old fashioned way"...the latter of which is like a blog that I sometimes copy and paste to my blog on church website!
