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When a group of people came together in 1980 for a work-party it was experiential, deep as never experienced before. We met again and became addicted.
That group of people have been meeting together now for 23 years, about two or three times a year. We sit around with food and coffee and each person has an hour or so to talk about their lives. Feelings, issues, activity, relationships, work, hurts, joys, faith, passion, hopes, plans, thoughts.
In between (I love that word) the other members of the group ask questions, lovingly probing for understanding. Have you heard of unconditional love? Have you heard of participating listening? Have you heard of empathy?
It may seem very strange, but it is such a beautiful experience that words cannot express. This is what the Level 5 group is all about.
Simon Slade.
.... 1999 I was at Greenbelt alone - without Joan or the Sheilas. Joan had broke her leg some time before and she was not then up and at 'em.
Simon our Level Five Friend was dying - he had decided to come off dialysis because it was causing so much pain and he knew he was not really living - nor his family - Ann, Ben aged 5 and Mae under one year old.
I was walking around Greenbelt with Simon on my mind.
He had been one of the original Rolling Magazine team members some 15 years earlier. He was with me as I walked the late night paths and grass of the Festival site. He was in my soul as I entered the big top - dark - loud -vibe-full.
Bruce Cockburn was on the big-top stage as I walked slowly through the massed attentive crowd. He sung these words and they were like a spear through my side .............;
"In Japanese temple -
There was a single orange blossom
At the wrong time of year -
Seemed like a sign -
When I looked again
It was gone"
It reduced me to shudders and tears - this was Simon.
A beautiful creation
A beautiful human
A beautiful orange blossom
And he was gone ..............."
I will never forget that Greenbelt
That concert
That moment
That spiritual moment
That lyrical line
........ and he was gone .................
Simon died on 2nd August 1999 (Greenbelt was earlier that year at the end of July). Joan and I went to the Christening of his daughter Mae, he died before she was one years old. He was 35.