New beginnings and hope

On March 26, the new Archbishop of Canterbury was installed. In 1400 years of Christian faith in England and after 105 men, Dame Sarah Mulally became the first woman to hold the position. “I had…

Times are tough – there is no denying it – both in Aotearoa and in many parts of the world. This week we learned of the planned closure of the Wattie’s Frozen Food Factory in…

In the Waikato, we are aware of the changing seasons, despite our temperate climate. After two weeks recently of glorious summer weather, everything has ripened or is ripening: peaches, plums, grapes, and tomatoes. If you…

Two weeks ago, I read an obituary for a lady who had died, aged 106. In a photo she looked like your ideal great-granny: white hair, glasses, broad smile, lively face. Her name was Sister…

One of the things I have appreciated as I have got older is the increasing realisation of how little I know and, consequently, the joy of learning new things and seeing the world differently. Recently…

Last weekend I was shopping for a birthday present for our granddaughter. I was impressed with one store’s great display –  they had of books by New Zealand authors for the eights to young adults….

Paris Saint Germain won the European Football Cup on May 31. The next two nights there were riots in France. In Le Monde on June 2, the editorial asked: Why do hundreds of young men,…

There is no doubt that social media has become an integral part of life, especially for young people. These platforms certainly offer opportunities to connect, to build communities and to share news. However, over the…

When we were children, we were taught to say ‘thank you’ for everything, from a birthday present from our grandparents to a slice of luncheon sausage from the butcher. I drilled good manners into our…

Recently I read an article in The Australian newspaper about the cost of an aging population. It made the oft-repeated point that the burden of supporting the elderly is falling on the next generation. It…