R.I.P.

Retreat in
Gethsemane

 Had a bad shock this morning when I received news that our neighbour had died. Only yesterday morning at 9am I met him driving off to work with his son, while I was returning from preaching a retreat to the MC sisters in the hermitage of the Garden of Gethsemane. He's about my age, or a little older. At 2am his son sent a message and photo saying his father is in hospital feeling sick and at 7am he messaged to say his father died. The fragility of human life. So unexpected. It came as a shock as he looked so alive and without illness in the morning.

This morning the Old City was in chaos as a 30 yr old arab woman tried to stab an israeli soldier in the Suq (market) near the mosque. She was shot dead. The City Gates were closed to capture any accomplices who might have been there. Attacks have become more frequent now. It's a worrying sign for the coming winter when its cold and people wear thick clothing. They can conceal weapons which otherwise summer clothes can't.

This morning I was suffocating from the phlegm lodged in my airways and couldn't cough it out. I almost blacked out due to lack of oxygen, and I had just gone to throw out the garbage and was downstairs in the courtyard. That's an awful place to blackout because it's all hard stones and nobody passes by there till 8am. But I managed to walk in circle vigorously and it dislodged from my throat. It's a very bad feeling. I'm continuing to lose weight and the abdominal pain is still there.

The weather is changing and many people are wearing jackets and hoodies. Winter is coming early. I'll have to be ready for it as the cold will provoke more asthma attacks and other problems. I'm just wondering is I should get my flu shot.