It is well known that as we get older we get wiser, more street wise, cuter and better able to adapt to the complexities of life. If you pick up a stone from any part of a sea shore, it is always smooth and round. It has no sharp edges. The constant motion of water, waves and other stones have smoothened out all the sharp edges over time. The same goes with us too. Life smoothens out all our rough edges over time.

But it also comes with a price too. We tend to lose our sense of wonder, our excitement for life and our unique dream of something special we’d like to happen. The call of the Gospel stories is to hold our sense of wonder, to have energy for life and to keep dreaming and hoping for everything that is good. Finding this balance is a lifelong challenge.

During our School Mass for the Epiphany (Jan 6th), one of our Religion Teachers, Jacinta O’Connor was giving her thoughts on the New Year to our students. She told them that if Plan A doesn’t work out for you going forward, don’t worry or panic because there are 25 other plans still left from B-Z.

We all know that Plan A’s can often fall short. Sometimes we forget about all the other options still open to us. Having some spiritual connection in a loving God can often help us see the bigger picture. As we journey along this New Year, the invitation is there to make more spiritual connections. It doesn’t have to be big or spectacular but all the little spiritual connections do add up to something significant and important.