Subject of admiration

Saturday 21st November, 2020

A really cold and frosty night last night. I love a cold bedroom with a warm cosy bed. Yet I do think of those with no home and no bed themselves and that makes me a little unsettled at times. What to do? That is ever the question. Through the post came three more requests from charities. They come almost daily and my heart bleeds. Then I went to Church and on the way out there was an appeal for Shelter. I immediately thought of my warm bed and how Shelter attempts to give a roof and food to the homeless at Christmas. It will be a different Christmas for us all and there is much talk of allowing families to meet. There is much talk about retail and their need to have shops open at this time of year...it is the best selling season for them and business life is very hard at present. I cannot imagine how it must feel to be without a bed, a home and without the thought of either at Christmas. I recall a saying in the Gospel from Jesus about how we will have the poor with us always. I find that almost a despairing comment.

I popped in to get a newspaper and did a double Covid dance around three children, two push chairs and a harassed couple of parents. As I did the dance just outside the shop so a dog got involved and a mildly irate elderly lady intent on being a member of the RSPCA, or so it seemed! I did get the newspaper. At home I read the obituary of Jan Morris. I recalled how my Father used to speak of him. Somehow my Father knew him in the Middle East. I am not sure how. Yet I recall meeting Jan Morris, as she had become, when she was signing books at Blackwells book shop in Oxford. To my amazement she remembered my Father so we had a chat re the Middle East. Her books really appeal to me and the first I remember reading was ' Conundrum ' about her becoming a woman. It was so well written and a very powerful apologia. I have ever admired her for it. Reading the obituary only increased my admiration . May she rest in peace.

As I was thinking of her so too I thought of Lauren Bacall, a heart throb of mine all my life. I met her only the once and that too was in Blackwells when she was singing a book, her autobiography, I think. I was like a love sick puppy even though well over 25!

I walked this afternoon in sunshine and a strong wind. Again in to my mind came an author, this time Proust and his work ' A la recherche du temps perdu '. Yes, happy days and happy memories although also some negatives but today I concentrated on the positives.

Last but not least I have pondered this which I discovered in my note book: " Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again ". It was written by C.S.Lewis whom also I hugely admire as an author. To me the myth, the fairy tale, the story is the way in to the truth about life. To me the Gospel is one such story. Jan Morris's story is also of value as is the writing of Proust. All of it is about the human condition. As we live in a world of 'false news' of 'lies proclaimed as truths' so we need the story which leads us to the soul, to the reality of purpose, justice and all that is good and positive. The fairy tale is not the tall story but the vehicle to the real story.

That sounds muddled....think on it.