Ecclesiastes 11:1, the art of giving, and the peculiar futility of being alive “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” — Ecclesiastes 11:1 There’s something heartbreakingly hopeful about that line, isn’t there? Something that makes you want to nod sagely, as if you understand it, even though - … Continue reading Bread Upon the Waters
Tag: Faith
The Longest Day: Fire, Folklore and the Turning Light
There’s a moment, just after midday on the 21st of June, when the sun seems almost drunk with its own radiance. It leans heavily on the earth, like a tired old bishop full of wine and prophecy, and stares down the day as if daring it to get any longer. The shadows are weak. The … Continue reading The Longest Day: Fire, Folklore and the Turning Light
“Drop, Drop, Slow Tears” – A Meditation in the Margins
By a hopeless penitent with a bookshelf and a leaky conscience At the opening of Elizabeth Gaskell’s Ruth, before we meet the orphaned seamstress or the soft-hearted Bensons, we are met with tears. Not sentimental ones, but slow, penitential tears - each drop a silent argument for mercy. The chosen epigraph, “Drop, drop, slow tears”, … Continue reading “Drop, Drop, Slow Tears” – A Meditation in the Margins
Wounded for the Wounded: A Good Friday Reflection
Good Friday has always been a day that makes me stop in my tracks. It draws a sombre curtain over the noise of the world and invites us to look long and hard at sorrow, at sacrifice… and at betrayal. It always strikes me closer to home than I’d like. Because I, too, have felt … Continue reading Wounded for the Wounded: A Good Friday Reflection
Christian Science: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Misdiagnose Everything
Before we begin, a quick word of warning: if you’re a devout Christian Scientist, a fan of metaphysical reasoning, or simply allergic to sarcasm, you may wish to pop the kettle on and find a gentler corner of the internet. What follows is a light-hearted take on Christian Science - a movement born in 19th-century … Continue reading Christian Science: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Misdiagnose Everything
Wording 