It was a special day on the calendar. The entry "Alchemy" aroused curiosity. It sounded mysterious, almost forbidden. Times were hard. Familiar things were hard to find, rituals diminished, and traditions struggled. People met less often; if they met at all, they were more withdrawn, more fearful. This was especially true in the church. The rooms became quieter, and new life was still a long way off. But "Alchemy"! It aroused curiosity. So they came: 18 children, teenagers, men, and women of all ages. They sat together, almost as they had before. But now they were getting to know each other anew. They talked about what was valuable to them, what was worth something to them, and they listened to each other; like someone picking up a book and telling a good story. This went on for hours that day. And every minute we shared our values with each other made the day more precious. For her, for him. New life shone through; a wonderful, warm light. Valuable and also somehow mysterious…
