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Good morning. For me, one of the true marks of greatness is to make difficult things look effortless. And today marks the anniversary of the death of someone who did just that –the dancer Fred Astaire.  One of the few positives about lockdown has been a season of his films on TV.  I’ve been able to spend hours watching them. But, however many times I see him in action – I never lose my sense of wonder at the sheer technique as well as the artistry of the man – and of course his partners. Speaking as somebody with two left feet there’s real joy in watching someone doing sublimely what I would love to do – but never will.  I’m pretty sure a lot of other people get the same kind of joy from watching professional sport or listening to great music.  And I’d argue that that’s an aspect of something much bigger. The world is full of things that are beautiful beyond anything we could ever hope to be or create – Jesus pointed out that a small and simple wild-flower – the lily of the field – was more spectacularly beautiful than Solomon, Israel’s most spectacular King, in all his finery. I believe the matchless beauty of nature is clearly something God-given that we are just meant to take delight in.  And if we can accept that – we can accept and be thankful for the skill of the artist as the same kind of gift – one that has the potential to enrich our lives and make the world a more enjoyable place to be. Delighting in those things isn’t just a form of escapism.  At its best, it lifts our eyes from the ordinary and the often dull necessities of daily living and somehow makes it easier to cope with them.  Father God we give thanks for the gifts of those creative people amongst us who open our eyes to see more beauty in the world than we might ever discover for ourselves.  Amen