Folks, if you haven't gotten your copy of Mike Tippett's "The Directory" (or if you have gotten it but not looked at it yet), have a look at the six pages following the one page introduction. These six pages have an alphabetic listing, with two columns on a page, of the 520 names of colleagues who have died, with those who died this year in bold.
My response was to be struck by a moment of awe and mystery, and to briefly see a vision of the timeline of my own life, viewed from outside time. As moderator of the oe and dialogue lists, I am well aware that one important function of these lists is to share news of passings. But seeing the list of all 520 saints moves that reflection to a whole new level.
Tim, who just moved into most likely the last quarter century of his life.
Tim