Waves like these have an evocative echoing voice as they relentlessly but gently break on the shore. They speak of unending love vast as the ocean. They just keep on coming, sometimes softly rippling but other times surging in with great strength. The shore does nothing to earn the repeated caress.
Take the word ‘soul’. What on earth does it mean? Going to the dictionary will give these three definitions: It’s a deep concept but one that’s really worth trying to understand better than a superficial ‘google search’ for it is something than helps us to understand ourselves. Going within can lead to a labyrinth but […]
A child doesn’t need to be taught to lie but he or she does need to learn the difference between the truth and a lie. Truth takes responsibility but a lie passes the buck with an easy way out – ‘it was someone else, not me!’ For some, lying can become a way of life, […]
If you were born in the 1600s, you might have had a fair chance of understanding the 17th-century English poet John Milton – if not, there’s only a slim chance unless you studied English Literature at university! ‘Paradise Lost’ was his masterpiece containing over 10,000 lines of blank verse arranged into 12 books – it […]
There is no doubt that we can sometimes feel wretched – if only we hadn’t done that thing, had that thought or said those words. It can be tough to reconcile how you’d prefer to behave with what you find yourself being tempted to do, as if there’s an inner battle. When we slip up, that’s when regret, guilt and inner condemnation pour in and wretchedness ensues as we hang our heads in shame.
For many, but not all, a bucket and spade will mean one thing – memories of holidays at the seaside. Why is it that children, young and old, love the seaside? For children, their laughter makes their delight obvious as they splash in the sea, build sandcastles and eat ice-cream. For adults, perhaps it’s being away from routine or responsibilities, being free to play, to read and to indulge in leisure-pleasures. What do you look for in a holiday?
We all carry them, even landscapes – scars. Sometimes they are exposed and we try to hide them. Sometimes they cannot be hidden. Sometimes they are hidden from plain view but they can be detected if you look carefully. Every scar has a cause from injury that was either intended or unintended and has made a lasting impact – only time will tell if it was for better or worse. Apart from the more obvious visual physical scars, there are often internal scars due to the behaviour of others, our own personal choices or from apparently random events. Although these may be unseen, they are nonetheless real and can be perceived in a person’s changed behaviour, confidence and even faith. Do you carry either visible or invisible scars? Have you caused scars in others? The walkers in this coastal path have mainly been oblivious to the scars that their feet have been making in the landscape as they have enjoyed the walk – is it possible that you have done the same?
Supposing you were an artist and had a blank canvas, would you start with Spring, another season or no season? Spring sounds like a logical choice … or does it? Its poetic speech is always of new beginnings as we associate it with the seasonal cycle that we humans have become used to. No Spring, no Summer. No Summer, no Autumn. No Autumn, no Winter. No Winter, no Spring. Each one brings something different and bounces off the previous one bringing the contrasts we all love. Snowdrops herald the Spring even after the fiercest Winter – each fluttering fragile snowdrop is a little white sail symbolising the hope of gentle summer breezes. When you feel like your life is in the grip of Winter, consider the seasons and remember that Spring cannot be far away. Our Father God is ‘The Creator Artist’ and never gets the rhythm of life wrong.
When many hear the word ‘legacy’, their minds run to what they stand to gain. Where does it lead you? The person who built this stile might have hoped his or her legacy would have lasted somewhat better than this broken down remnant. By definition, a legacy is what we leave behind for those who follow. Mostly, the legacy is a bequest of physical possessions and assets to family members, friends or others who we may want to bless. Sometimes there may be legacy issues leading to a squabble over a Will. Perhaps a dispute may arise from an aggrieved person who feels left out or hard done by. However, the truth is that we all give legacies in life and in death to all those who are part of our lives. The abandoned footpath sign accompanying this broken stile is a poor legacy. Contrast that with the better legacy given by the person who taught you to read a map and use a compass. Now is a good time then to consider the legacy you give to others each day.
Molluscs live alone in their shells, not through shyness but these invertebrates need protection. Hermit crabs like their own company unless they come out to fight a competitor for a bigger shell! They are no more likely to share their new home than an introvert would choose to throw a party! Personality types come in all shapes and sizes but the message in this bottle is that no one type is right or wrong – even shell bound creatures need to live in community. For human beings, solitary confinement is a punishment – we too are made for community, thriving in relationships rather than being shut away in isolation.
