Listening today to my friend Marielou tell me about her Mother, visiting home in the Philippines. The lady (my age 83) is failing quite fast now. My friend is gathering in the high airfare…like so many in this country who are called “back home” when their elderly need them and travel costs are exorbitant.

I recall both my parents dying when I was equally far from home in Malaysia.

And I think in GRATITUDE of our NHS in comparison to all the countries of our world where you have to pay for medical care . And indeed all the lands where scant medical care is the norm.

And I think in APPRECIATION of the myriad hospital auxiliaries, like my friend, who work hard and with such grace, in our NHS hospitals. 

Lately, I’ve suddenly lost balance. Crashed down. Hurt.

Of course I relate this to the “wobble” of the political world.

An aspect of wobbledom crashed into our house the other night. Meeting of our Environment Group. In the starting Go Round…”how are you ?”… one member reported a racist incident .

Young Black mother with two small children being violently harassed by young White man. He, jeered on by young women companions. Our friend intervened. Reported to Police.

We recalled our years educating beyond racism, sexism : myriad forms of evolving into a sense of interdependence…Oneness

Our group saw this attack as a demonstration of current “permission” to abuse “the Other”.

We are heartened to read of the Values & Vision programme for young children, in Primary & Secondary schools; education to enhance our confidence in Oneness.

Useful background information  – see ‘INSTED: Equality & Diversity in education’ www.insted.co.uk

Following the years when he couldn’t walk at all, after a shattering car accident …. one day my Mother was pushing my Father in his wheel-chair across a cobbled pathway.

“Stop Lil, Stop!” he shouted.  “What’s that shiny thing there?”

Lil picked up a little badge; Courage Brewery… a golden Cockerel topping the call

“Take Courage”

Arthur wore it ever after, on his lapel.

Just one of the multitude of such stories of grit ! that we’ve all known.

This website is founded on our collective experience of COURAGE.

Courage in small, daily acts, everywhere.

In memory of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July 1918 – a few of his inspiring words to reflect upon :-

I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”

A young woman Nirmala, painted in Barbara James’ Kuala Lumpur art class in those glorious early Tropical mornings. (see Story  – International Art Class).

Nirmala’s paintings of the Tree Ferns remain in my mind’s eye …

As does her response to many an enquiry….”CAN, ALSO CANNOT”, whilst shaking her head.

Her response gave permission to consider choice.

Would you agree, that today, the phrase represents wobble, confusion, unclear values?

We wrote in the February 19  Blog, about the Ascot Quiet Garden, illustrating the reflection with a glorious pink Tree Peony which has taken ten years to fully establish itself. Around 25 years before that, Oliver Simon, an Anglican priest in Bracknell ( where I was the Community Worker, in Social Services) whilst walking in our garden, said, “I’ve just heard about the Quiet Garden project. You’d really like it”. ( The Rt. Rev. Dr Oliver, some years later was ordained as the Bishop of the Diocese of Antsiranana, Northern Madagascar) 

I and thousands of others DID AND DO, LIKE IT. 

Dr Rowan Williams writes in launching QUIET 25: “The ancient tradition of silent contemplation is as important to the modern mind as it was to our forbears and The Quiet Garden Movement has been  facilitating the practice of mindful contemplation for the past 25 years in gardens around the world”

SEE quietgarden.org 

This purple Clematis has budded and shrivelled year after year, until 2017.

We had planted it against a metal arch. This Spring it moved itself away from the metal and into the close-by Rose. You see the result.

Question: what impelled the plant- saving move ?

Looking back at times of decision in our own lives… WHAT made us move ?

Always encouraged by Goethe – ” Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe