And there the picture ends, seconds, minutes or hours later, who knows. I remember nothing more of the day: the climb up the hill, what happens when I reach home. All these are blotted out by this one awe-filled moment of connection.

Over fifty years later, pondering on that pivotal moment, I find its brilliance hasn’t dimmed. Nor has its profound effect on my life. The sense of wonder, the beauty of creation and my acceptance into the secret places of God – these are embedded into my essence. While for many years the sacredness of human relationships remained less certain, I had been provided with a safe haven, a core of trust in nature and in God which has never broken.

At base, the only issue on the planet at this time is the challenge of relationship. It is impossible for the planet to survive the void of sacredness, of love and of soul which has intensified over the last fifty years. We either ‘risk the shattering awe-full brilliance’ of true meeting, or we perish.