Dear Inner Circle,

The most adorable three-year-old in the world was playing with my phone yesterday. She asked if I could find some pictures of Grandma. I started flicking through the photos on my phone and we came across one where I was wearing my alb and stole at a wedding. This dear little girl had never seen me dressed this way and it startled her a bit. “Ooh! Are you Captain Feathersword?” she asked.

It’s not hard to resent the phone at times and yet it often ushers me into the most important moments. A man called me this morning from his hospital bed. “This is it Graham, I’ve had enough”. He spends three days of every week undergoing dialysis. While his life is absorbed with this never ending exercise to stay alive, his wife has left him, and his children have been removed from his care. He told me that he can’t fight all of these battles and be chained to a dialysis machine for half of his life. “How long will you live if you stop this treatment?” I asked. I could hear that he must be in the presence of some medical people and they prompted him to give the answer, “days”. I so get it. I don’t judge this bloke. I’m not sure what I’d do in his situation and I offer no judgement. If he goes, I’ll be at his bedside as he passes. I think he’s had enough and I respect his choice.

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