Anticipation...

Monday 13July, 2020

At midday I had the telephone call from Karen at the local hospital, which I had been expecting. My Saturday Covid test had come back negative so all was go ahead for my operation tomorrow. She ran through one or two reminders re masks and contacting the Perth Royal Infirmary and being there by 7am. So a 5.30am wake up and leaving he house at 6am having had a permitted drink. A kind friend is driving me. I shall be masked and in the back of the car with the window open, she will be masked in the front like a posh chauffeur and should not turn around to address me. I had a few questions for Karen and then she wished me well. As ever I have found nothing but kindness from all.

An email wishing me all the best arrived from a Benedictine nun friend of mine. It contained a sermon delivered by her Benedictine Chaplain. That quoted the Abbot General of the Cistercian Order about how we all, religious and laity, are ever striving forward, ever seemingly in a rush to the next thing, the goal in the future, bigger  and better. Then he warned of nostalgia 'everything used to be...'so much better. It takes a pandemic, a metaphorical brick wall to stop us in out tracks, to say or cause or force us to stop rushing, dreaming, striving and to look to how we live and think and act and behave now.

An operation on top of the isolation of the pandemic is a doubly thick proverbial brick wall. Yes....what to pack, how to fulfil regulations etc etc, and what will happen after and how will the operation go etc crowd into my mind. Also a nostalgia for when I was fit and healthy and able to do this and that without concern or discomfort.

So now as I write I realise how wonderful life is, how precious is health and how glorious are friends and how fortunate one is to have a roof over one's head and food and clothing. I have been in the garden again and again watched the bees and the insects at work, smelt the baby courgettes, watched the rippling Tay, breathed deeply the fresh air, listened to the gulls and marvelled at Creation, including the creation of mankind.

It is so precious. Why do we risk and abuse it? Surely we should rejoice and celebrate. I do.