March 21st

I can hardly walk, hobbling about after yesterday with many blister plasters on one foot and what feels like electric shocks through a knee, but on arrival at the gym for stretching amazed to find I did not come last! And equally amazed to find others ‘really enjoyed it’ they must have very short memories or were not trying hard enough. A very well deserved first place to John of the New Energy Running club who is not only older than the rest of us but could have comfortably knocked another 10 minutes off his time had he not been so kind and thoughtful holding open gates and ‘sticking with’ the less competent, very much appreciated by us all.

St Clare was born in Assisi in July 1194 and was inspired by St Francis of Assisi whom she heard preach. She gave up her life of wealth and comfort and lived in a Benedictine Abbey with other sisters, they wore no shoes, ate no meat, kept silent most of the time and lived lives of manual labour and prayer. St Clare was worried that various Popes would water down her radical commitment to corporate poverty. Maybe there is more than just a name in common, a life of hardship and discipline!

Here is a picture of St Clare with a flower no doubt to place on the grave of medieval runner. I am sure Clare’s last words to me as I set off on Sunday were “Remember it is mind over matter, I don’t mind and you don’t matter!”