Mary Daniel

She lies in a state of awareness which is at most times, uncertain. The victim of a massive stroke, she will never walk or talk again, never be able to feed herself, toilet herself, comb her hair, see her reflection … Read more

A while back, I was talking with a friend who is going through a divorce and was quoted the words of John Lennon: "Life is what happens when you've made other plans". We all make "other plans". Sometimes "life" co-operates, … Read more

My volunteering encompasses the whole spectrum of grief. The group I volunteer with lends our support to the terminally ill and their families and we assist whenever and with whatever we can. We are there through the dying process and … Read more

A recent devotional entitled Giving Thanks rekindled my own little fire on 'giving thanks'. It spoke of the writer's fear for her daughter's warmth and safety in the midst of the terrible ice storm in Quebec, and while … Read more

I have waited for Grace all my life. We waited for Grace at every meal, for it seems we were born with the notion that one didn't eat until everyone was seated and Grace was finished. Grace always came first. … Read more

Behind our home runs a gully. It begins by a little Anglican church nearby and ends up down on the beach close to where the ferry docks. It is a nature lover's path in paradise. A group of inmates from … Read more

You may be familiar with the exercise of filling a jar to the half-way mark with water, putting it in a prominent place and, upon rising, seeing if you view it as "half-full" or "half-empty". Some may even check on … Read more

While walking my dog a few days before Christmas, she hesitantly drew me towards a beautiful hemlock tree. There, underneath, lay a fair sized grey tabby cat, front paws crossed, but very, very still. There was no question. He was … Read more

A common theme for this year seems to be focusing on forgiving. Several news stories have zeroed in on it and a couple of documentaries have featured people who have forgiven someone and how healing it has been. A woman … Read more

Our eldest daughter flew from Toronto to be with us for Christmas, accompanied by her yearly companions, cold and flu, a gift for those of us who love to dote on those loved ones who are only able to be … Read more