I Can Think Of A Million Reasons

I can think of a million reasons to be sad,

 

And I honour them all:

The suffering of innocents

The agony of the guilty

The death throes of this poisoned world.

(Yes! You HAVE to face it!)

 

There doesn't seem a lot of point to it all, to be frank.

 

No. None.

 

I could stop. Right there, except ...

Something rises up in me

Something light, and infectious

Like laughter, only, without sound.

Like joy, but somehow deeper,

If you know what I mean.

 

I shall, therefore, gallop through this day

With a smile.

A pointless, foolish,

 

Smile.

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A Time To Grieve

I didn't attend my father's funeral, and I never regretted it. I sat by his side in his final days, he, too weak, too close to dying to want to talk, I, waiting with him, silently, or telling him how much I loved him, not trying to imagine a world without him.

I wrote his obituary, and read it to him the night before he died so he knew how precious he was. That was our farewell. Two days later, I flew to South Africa to complete the work in a village school he had sponsored. "You go!" He said, believing I would be away when he died. I went, and my Xhosa friends sang for him, and I went to this beach and cast into the ocean a wreath I made with vines and flowers from the rain forest.

I then scratched his name, along with my mother's, in a hidden place in the rocks nearby.

This thanksgiving for my father's life was a special and deeply meaningful ritual. Far away from home, I grieved for my father and there, in my heart, which was pounding with the ocean, I laid him to rest.

 

 

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#MicroblogMondays: Election Reflection

I am SO glad it's over! Fortunately British politics is always about pink or pale blue shades of centralism, so I am hopeful that there won't be too much to worry about over the next five years, I suppose you couid say I got neither what I wanted, nor what I feared, and that's a result.

I do wonder though, if there might be a better way of doing things. If our nation is in such dire financial trouble, why can't we have a government of national unity? Or at least a government that leaves polemic and division to one side for a bit, and works to draw opponents together to work in the interests of everyone?

Last Wednesday, I went to the cinema in Gloucester with Carol. As I walked down Southgate Street towards the Cross, I heard shouting. It was Samantha having a very public row with Vince over - something - that she clearly felt was unfair. Later I met Robbie, who was drunk, and Robin who was sore from a beating, and I stopped - to hug Sam and calm her and remind her of her worth, to commiserate with Robin, to make sure Robbie knew where he was ...

To me this work, as a Missioner, is a joy and a privilege. It's me doing what I love with people I love.

Yesterday I went to a BBQ with friends and family from Church. These are people I love too, whose life experiences are so different from my street friends. Something in me wants to battle with them, to force them to understand the impact of austerity on the vulnerable who are beyond being able to cope. I could feel the old class war begin to break out, but something different happened. I listened, I got off my high- horse and I let these friends tell their stories too.

 

No great conclusions here, but for me, a bit of a change of heart. I'm not going to metaphoricalky shout slogans over a class wall. I'm going to carry on bringing the two sides together in myself and reconcile in me whar I want reconciled in politics.

 

 

 

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#MicroblogMondays: Graham

I am watching a miracle unfold.
I first met Graham, an unemployed labourer when he was optimistic. Funny, grounded, determined, and full of faith. He'd lost his job in the recession, but was certain he'd find another soon.
Three years passed. Despite attending all the courses available from the Job Centre, and applying for forty or more jobs a week, he was still unemployed. Rumours began to circulate about Graham having, "anger issues" he became cold, bitter, resentful, and yes, bloody angry. I daren't enquire about his faith...
Today he bounced into the Salvation Army lunch club full of excitement. The new Aldi store that employed him last month is opening next Thursday. Graham is laughing and joking, he is calm and present and alive once more.
I see so much depression, sadness and misery amongst the unemployed. When I hear the rich, the powerful, the ignorant rant about ' welfare scroungers', I want to weep. Yes, I really do.
But then there is a miracle ... Not the getting of a job, but the anazing transformation when belief and self-respect are gained once more.

#MicroblogMondays: "Hello From The Children Of Earth"

This message, engraved on a copper, disc, encased in gold, is one of many sent out in 1977, riveted to the probe Voyager, in the hope that an intelligent being will one day find, and hear it. The hope and optimism embodied in this amazing project is truly inspirational, especially when you realise that Voyager's next encounter with a star system is 40,000 years away ... 

Earth is now well into it's six, (or seventh, opinion is divided) mass extinction event. Don't take my word for it, check it out: 50% of species are being wiped out at you read this: - climate change, pollution, deforestation, it's happening, it's real, it's here, and pretending it isn't, no matter how forcefully, isn't going to change that. 

However, there is good news: it only takes a 7% of the population to wake up and work for change, to make it happen. Here's encouragement to do so from Professor Brian Cox, from "The Human Universe" (BBC2 Sunday 8pm):

"We are probably alone in the universe, and that makes us indescribably precious and valuable ... We are the only islands of meaning in an infinite sea of lonely stars ... We have the responsibility to work together as a civilisation to survive, and ultimately to explore those stars."

Let's go for it - for the sake of the children of Earth.