PJBelfast

My wife and I had taken out travel insurance with Insure & Go, and thank God we did! Day one of our holiday in Vienna, we headed, by foot, to our walking tour of the city. We had no sooner passed a crosswalk when Caroline said the Green Man had started to flash. I ran across but twisted on my ankle on my right foot. I was sure I heard a crack, to find out later that I had fractured my fifth metatarsal bone. Initially it began to swell and we agreed that Caroline go ahead on the walking tour and that I return to the hotel and pack it in ice. We phoned the travel insurance company who advised us to go to the local University Hospital, where, through x-rays, confirmed the fracture, also giving us injections to stop a DVT happening.  Because we were British they required 400 euros before they would even look at my foot injury. They fitted a plaster (much to the joy and amusement of my grandchildren, who signed it with their felt tips?). The plast...

My friend Phil shared this article which I've entitled 'Lost in transition" "I was asked by my formators to prepare the Sunday reflection. In the formation house, that was a regular practice. Each of us would be given a reading to reflect on and share with the others. After sharing, the brothers will give an honest review, and comment on what you needed to have done better in your presentation. Like, we were training our eyes to see beyond the words. I had shared my reflections before. I even looked forward to it, most times. But this one was different. The Gospel reading for that Sunday was the same as today’s (Matthew 10:8). Jesus sending out the Twelve. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.” That line sat in front of me for four days, and yet nothing. Not a single meaningful thought came to my heart.  I started to feel empty—like someone who had always known how to cook but suddenly forgets what ingredients to use. I even told myself, may...