Month: December 2018

It’s a time of stories.

Through the rest of the year time flies. Essentially, routine and habit take us through our days, but at Christmas, if we are lucky, we get some time out and a chance to suspend disbelief. Hope and freedom for all!?

Before Christmas, we had a treat at Leicester’s Haymarket Theatre where the cast and crew of Sandi Toksvig’s ‘Treasure Island’ took us on an affirming trip “Raising our hopes”. They reminded us that “you can be anything”, #greatshow. It’s amazing where you can travel with a good story, a hearty chorus, some great characters and some dramatic lighting and effect.

Experiencing theater, character, drama and tragedy is an affecting opportunity to think beyond ourselves. If we choose to accept it, we can be reminded of visceral truths and thoughtful insights that might help us deal with some of the stuff life throws around. For me, song, music, story and the imagination are one of humanity’s only hopes.

Last January we were entranced by The Greatest Showman. “’cause every night I lie in bed, The brightest colours fill my head… A million dreams are keeping me awake”, “But I won’t let them break me down to dust… For we are glorious”

As I said last year, from Dickens to Mariani, Moana to Skywalker, Paddington Bear to P.T.Barnum, we can wonder into films, stories, theatre and paperback novels.

I have just tiptoed through Simon Parke’s ‘The Secret Testament of Julian’ – a contemporary reflection of fourteenth-century life. Simon has a way of playing with age-old truths in an entertaining personal way. Towards the other end of the spectrum, I have just received the 18th book in Scott Mariani’s Ben Hope extravaganza. The Ben Hope adventures are light-hearted escapism, slugs and spice, literary pop-snacks without too much indigestion. Chapter one tonight.

It’s amazing where you can travel with a good story, and some great characters. The strength of a compelling hopeful loving narrative can be strong and resurrecting real force for change, healing and hope. The power of Good is an almighty thing that we can indeed celebrate. The power of Good is arguably the only hope the world has. For some people, the story is wrapped around a personal conviction. The Mastery and Lordship of freedom and righteousness are not something I can personally understand. But some people move mountains with it.

Stories: We can, of course, see the value in honesty, sharing, caring. We can see the value in putting others first. We can see the value in turning away from unhelpful things, being aware of distractions from what is good, honest and wholesome. We can see the value in compassion for all in need; the poor, the despised, the outcasts. We might see the possibility of healings through faith, forgiveness and sincerity. We can see the value of stories.

Dare I say, “tales as old as time”? It’s good to celebrate stories that sing hope and allow us to be free. I have asked before, what would the world be without bread and circus? Perhaps the bread we crave might sometimes need a sugar coating to help us swallow disbelief.

This message might self-destruct in due course.

December… What can we say?

In other years I have wittered about suspending disbelief, magical jingles, tingles of spicy tonics, simple riches, and hope…

Somehow this December feels different. More real.

This year saw us sell up and move house. We’ve reviewed habits, routines and rituals, we pulled the metaphorical cloth from the table to see what stayed in place. We spent a while putting things back on the table. As I said back then, you realise that you build life around many things, objects, spaces, habits, routines and rituals. We take a lot for granted. We are very grateful.

“…Everything flows onward; all things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by in constant movement.” Ovid

We have had a good year. I have no specific words. Just lots of resonating good things to be thankful for.

Here’s to the reality of spirit; to flavours, colours, images, sounds, thoughts and feelings…
Less fabrication, polish, and plastic, less catalogued lifestyle, less click and collect culture.
Here’s to the colour-soaked spirit of things.

Sorry, but I have to come back to my daily ride as an often wonder-infused grounding leveller. So often I am blessed by a combination of simple things.

The simplest smile from a man in a red hat.
The giggles from a child as he holds his mum’s hand.
The ‘Hi ya!’ from the family as they leave their flat.
The morning puja.
The nod of hello, a man in yellow, on patrol.
The smiles as the boy and his dad ride their bikes.
The wave of the lady that helps cross the road.
The morning welcome.
The chatter of the ladies on the fluorescent daily run.
The ‘morning’ from the girl with the curly dog.
The warmth of the morning sun.
The warmth of community.
The courtesy of the man in the green hatchback.
The eyes that smile as they wait for their bus.
The fellow people that you see every day.
The strength of the morning.
…

As my nana used to sing, “count your blessings, name them one by one…”

Though I love the memories and sentiment of the song, I think the joy of it is actually not to tot up your blessings… Start to count or realise a few blessings, and that’s enough, surely. I think it’s a song of thanks for the now.
To stop and breathe and truly feel alive… is perhaps enough.
Life’s all relative, and we’re only as good as our last attempt, but ‘the now’ is always a good time to be alive, if you can, try to feel the spirit of things.
If it’s not working for you, then peace be with you, hold on, the tempest will pass.

No doubt there are challenges ahead, but at Christmas, I hope we have a chance to pause, take a big breath… hold it… exhale… pause… and smile.

We wish you Peace.

Here’s to more celebration of our spirit, one by one.

…and that was also Movember.

Now to let it go.

The first day of Advent.

What can one say about the activity of fashioning a moustache? Cease striving?

A few staff at work did the same, to help draw attention to the Movember charity and it’s concerns over male health awareness. It drew a few comments and laughs. And perhaps made one person think.
Nothing against the moustache – my Papa had a fine moustache all of his fine life and that’s how I fondly remember him. But alas, facial hair is not really me. Of course hair full-stop is not really me, lol. Then again what is me?

We construct an idea of our self. Others see us in a certain way.

How long would it take for a moustached Jules to become the accepted (if unconventional) norm? We build our lives and create our culture.

The things we create are indeed often something to celebrate. Our industries of service, sport, productivity, care, art, science, entertainment, community support etc are what humanity has become. Yes, much falls short of ideal, and perhaps some constructs should be reconsidered and re-evaluated. But yes, there is much to be proud of and to celebrate – any excuse, for a wholesome party!

But perhaps behind the moustaches, under and inside out designs and monuments, is an essence that keeps us alive – is the essence of what matters.

Perhaps behind the accoutrements that we collect and enjoy is something more precious.

This year we’ve experienced untimely illness and the deaths of several friends and acquaintances. We know of challenges near us that highlight the messy side of our world. A reminder that behind the faces and things that become familiar and routine is a fragile humanity.

So as I remove the Mov, at the start of Advent 2019, we pause, breathe, relax, smile and celebrate an essence that’s lies behind every good thing ever created.

Here’s to a more honest humanity, here’s to the stuff behind the creativity, here’s to the essence behind the ambition.

Here’s to the advent of new things.