Today 13th June 2016 is exactly 20 years since I had my brain aneurysm. That seems a significant landmark. Most years I don't even notice the date although sometimes someone reminds me. As I've previously mentioned, I'm in the process of reviewing my journals. It is very interesting to see what was happening at the time - and all that has happened since.
- A month earlier I had decided to reduce my work at Bible College of NZ to half time. Later many people assumed I'd done that because of the aneurysm but actually it was decided earlier.
- On the 12th June in a regular weekly prayer gathering we were reflecting on what we would like people to say at our funeral!! Little did I know that the very next day many people would be wondering if my funeral might be very soon. The purpose of that reflection was, of course, to clarify how we want to live before we die! As I read what I wrote then there's nothing I would change. I will never know if any of those things do get said at my funeral! But I hope I am living towards that being so.
- The biggest thing I notice about the years since 13th June 1996 is the trajectory of my spiritual journey. It has definitely been a time of many new Concentric Circles of faith. As I said in About this Blog above: "The Blog title Concentric Circles is a way of saying that every phase of the spiritual journey takes us to a new horizon which includes but transcends the one before."
- Of course there have been very many other events and changes in the last 20 years - becoming fully self-employed, moving together with a friend from West Auckland to Torbay and then more recently to Orewa. Writing two external studies courses in Spiritual Formation, writing my book The Lost Art of Meditation...
- Since living together Anthea and I developed the practice of keeping a daily Gratitude Journal. At the end of each day we reflect on what we are grateful for that day. This adds up to another large pile of journals! Today one of my entries will be gratitude for 20 more years of life since 13th June 1996.
