One year ago, on Friday, October 4, 2019, in the middle of the afternoon, I drove into Georgetown, Texas, to start my interim ministry with you.  In many ways, it is difficult to fathom that an entire year has gone by already!  On the other hand, it often seems to me that I have been here forever.  Sometimes I can barely recall that I lived in other places, in others times — in “The Before Time” as one of you so aptly put it.  Our one-year anniversary of being together has led me to much pondering about the differences between one year ago and right now.  The time of year that brings us autumn (at least in some climates!), as well as the Jewish High Holidays, has long been a time of reflection for me…. not only reflection, but a time when I deliberately pause to consider my actions during the past year, trying to be as honest with myself as possible.  I seek vulnerability and humility.  I strive for more compassion towards myself, those whom I personally know and all beings everywhere.  You well may ask, “and how is that working for you”?!, especially in a world gone mad.  Join me this week and I will let you know.  i will have a little help not only from the calm and peace created during the recent observance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but also from some of the tips on living a compassionate life that theologian Karen Armstrong urges us to practice in her book Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.