It's been a while
Well, I must admit, that my reluctance to Blog ended up with the predictable result... a seven month absence from the 'air.' I am, however, about to head off to the US for a sabbatical - which I think will prove interesting as an exercise in 'can I actually do anything about this PhD?' If the smell of fear is emanating from this blog, it's for good reason...
Apart from that, other mind-journeys I have been taking are also interesting [to me :-)]: I've been thinking a lot about leadership shapes, about teaching, about NTC and the new 'centre for evangelism and church development,' about the nature and shape of mission, about history and its impact, about what it means to be 'healthy' - and about the way I relate to people.
Over the last few months I've read a lot - but here are some of the things that have been shaping me. Tony Benn's diaries [politician, humanist], Tom Wright, Colossians, Ghandi's biography, poems by e.e. cummings, 'The Shaping of things to come,' (Hirsh and Frost), Derren Brown's book (can't remember its name), and various Louis L'Amour books (the equivalent for me of hot-chocolate and a fire).
I have had some good time with great friends. Alongside them have also been thinking about 'why' questions:
why don't we go more heart-deep? why do people talk about other people? why are dogs so inclined to love people, but wolves aren't? Why do some trees just give up in the wind, and others resist? Why is it more difficult to say good things, or bad things? why? What is the difference between love and affection? why is it hard to love people as people? Why is it more difficult to stayrooted than to go? I wrestle all the time with the urge to move on... and various friends/thinkers remind me of the importance of DEEP. Deep roots, Deep wells.
Music: Royksopp, faithless, DJ Cut Chemist (love it), U2, The Big Chill... And last night I went to a Bruce Cockburn gig... the man is amazing. he plays the guitar flawlessly with his eyes closed, and makes it sound like an orchestra. And [some of] his lyrics are genius.
Anyway, I think I'll try and blog while away... a little. If you see too many words here, please remind me I need to be honing and deploying writing on a thesis.
Leaving you with e.e.:
i thank You God for most this amazing
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
Apart from that, other mind-journeys I have been taking are also interesting [to me :-)]: I've been thinking a lot about leadership shapes, about teaching, about NTC and the new 'centre for evangelism and church development,' about the nature and shape of mission, about history and its impact, about what it means to be 'healthy' - and about the way I relate to people.
Over the last few months I've read a lot - but here are some of the things that have been shaping me. Tony Benn's diaries [politician, humanist], Tom Wright, Colossians, Ghandi's biography, poems by e.e. cummings, 'The Shaping of things to come,' (Hirsh and Frost), Derren Brown's book (can't remember its name), and various Louis L'Amour books (the equivalent for me of hot-chocolate and a fire).
I have had some good time with great friends. Alongside them have also been thinking about 'why' questions:
why don't we go more heart-deep? why do people talk about other people? why are dogs so inclined to love people, but wolves aren't? Why do some trees just give up in the wind, and others resist? Why is it more difficult to say good things, or bad things? why? What is the difference between love and affection? why is it hard to love people as people? Why is it more difficult to stayrooted than to go? I wrestle all the time with the urge to move on... and various friends/thinkers remind me of the importance of DEEP. Deep roots, Deep wells.
Music: Royksopp, faithless, DJ Cut Chemist (love it), U2, The Big Chill... And last night I went to a Bruce Cockburn gig... the man is amazing. he plays the guitar flawlessly with his eyes closed, and makes it sound like an orchestra. And [some of] his lyrics are genius.
Anyway, I think I'll try and blog while away... a little. If you see too many words here, please remind me I need to be honing and deploying writing on a thesis.
Leaving you with e.e.:
i thank You God for most this amazing
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
posted by erdreid at 17:16
2 Comments:
Why is it more difficult to stayrooted than to go?
I have a piece of writing I call my "transient's manifesto", and I think it was the outcome of me trying to deal with that question. Unfortunately (as often happens with me) it turned out as less of a resolution and more of a list of desires. I still haven't found the answer, but I did find that more people than I thought struggle with exactly the same problems, and (more worryingly) have exactly the same desires. As we move toward a society of indulgence, I wonder how long the need for connection will hold out against the need for independence/transience/rootlessness. One could even name it solitude.
In any case, enjoy your sabbatical, I hope you get lots of work done :) I look forward to reading your thesis when it's finished.
r
Glad to have you back. Sorry we didn't get our act together to call and wish you a safe journey. You will be in our thoughts and prayers these next weeks and will keep checking the blog...S,D,L&?
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