Between my birthday and Paris

My dear Friends

Yesterday was my 56th birthday, although people say I don't look a day over 30! I spent it quietly, in my favourite watering-hole, where the waiter brought me a specail bowl of tomato soup with herbs, basil and cream and bought me a soft drink. Then he said it wasn't a proper birthday without a cake, and two brownies, ice cream, cherries and a candle appeared from nowhere on my table!

It was a thoughtful day too, with Mass in the morning and a reading from Isaiah to herald the Messiah and containing the words most people recognise from the Oratorio, The Messiah by Handel: 'He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and he shall gather the lambs in His arms.'In my former days of classical professional singing, I sang it many times with Benigna at the piano.

Hopefully by my next birthday I will be in Toronto, surrounded by Canadian geese. Meanwhile I am on my travels again, back to Paris to see Alexia again and stay in the little hotel in the middle of everything. I long to see the famous tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn in the Musee de Cluny, wander round the Rue du Seine and the art galleries, and drink lots of coffee and a few brandies. Alexia will be at her work during the day, but in the evenings and at the weekend we will spend time together and catch up on the events that have happened in both our lives since we last saw each other in September.

In my job, there is always the unexpected, so there may be some threads of Peace and Reconciliation to follow up-actually the last 10 days have been particularly stressful so I hope I can do things gently and take any surprises in my stride.

Watching and waiting - these are the key words of Advent, in the countdown to the birth of Jesus, particular and cosmic at the same time. The birth of Jesus can actually take place at any time and anywhere in a person's life, Love stretching down a Divine Hand. May it happen to you and your loved ones in abundance.

Every blessing at this momentous time
Shalom from
Sister Gila