I mentioned before in a previous blog entry " My Prayer " how a return for funeral to the seaside town Portstewart, some five years ago was associated with an important mystical experience. Just recently, I had cause to return again to Portstewart to attend the wedding of one of my northern relatives. On this occasion, as I strolled down the promenade with my sister, I was filled with an unexpected sadness in the mourning of my two parents (who had always accompanied me as a child to Portstewart on holiday visits). I was filled with an ardent longing to see them once again and reminisce about former times, which of course was no longer possible. However as I experienced anew how much they had meant to me, slowly the feeling of grief turned to an overwhelming gratitude for the wonderful gift of life, which I owe to my parents. And in my heart I now said repeatedly "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for everything, for the uniqueness of this life, the profound