Mentioned to me today by my Pastoral Supervisor...

Prayer is like watching for

The kingfisher. All you can do is

Be there where he is like to appear, and

Wait.

Often nothing much happens;

There is space, silence and

Expectancy.

No visible signs, only the

Knowledge that he’s been there

And may come again.

Seeing or not seeing cease to matter,

You have been prepared.

But when you’ve almost stopped

Expecting it, a flash of brightness

Gives encouragement.

Prayer Is Like Watching For the Kingfisher – by Ann Lewin

Wandering into my kitchen, a looked out of the window and saw a wonderful city sunrise - gorgeous colours and stark sikhouettes of buildings and cranes.  Fleeting beauty as the light spreads, dispersing the night.

It is as near as makes no odds 24 hours since the train on which I sat enjoying the tranquility and getting my work done came to an abrupt stop just north of Oxenholme and the story of a life lost on the tracks began to unfold.

As I paused to enjoy the beauty of this new day, to delight in the moment and to give thanks for it, I was struck afresh by the wonder of life and creation.  Of late I have been pretty grumpy, which could be my age or my gender or any number of other things, but in those moments I remembered that actually I am a person charactersied by gratitude, more hopeful than hopeless, more positive than negative.  Need to deal with the grumps and negativity; need to savour the beauty of each new day.