Went to see Once today, finally. This film… wow. It’s a delicate, beautiful film. A portrayal of love and encouragement and finding your feet. The songs are wonderful. Glen Hansard (of The Frames) and Markéta Irglová do a really good job as leads. I love how its filmed so simply as well.
Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
[ Prayer by Sir Francis Drake]
I just finished this beautiful wee book this morning. Anne Lamott is one of those writers I had heard about time and again, but had never got round to reading any of her work. Well, it was worth the wait! Bird By Bird (or, Some Instructions on Writting and Life) is full of charm, wit, and seasoned advice. Lamott writes with an honesty I have found in so few Christian writers, and she does it with style. There’s no faffing about, she’s down the line. The book is peppered with personal accounts of pain, struggle and joy – when her dad died, stories of her son Sam, the students she’s taught at courses, writting groups, and so on.
It has honestly been one of the most refreshing things I’ve read this year. I thoroughly recommend you go get it. I want to read one of her other books now, Traveling Mercies… anyone have a copy I could borrow?
“And I don’t think you have that kind of time either. I don’t think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won’t be good enough at it, and I don’t think you have time to waste on someone who does not respond to you with kindness and respect. You don’t want to spend your time around people who make you hold your breath.”
(p. 170)
I wrote something the other day, just some thoughts as I sat drinking a coffee. Thought I would share it here… be kind, I’m not a writer by nature…
——-
There is something fascinating about kids.
I was sitting in Beanscene on Cresswell Lane the other day. The place is a heaving mass of families, students and grannys. A father and daughter enter – she cannot be more than 3 years old, in her pretty pink overcoat, wolly hat and oversized sunglasses. She stands holding her juice as dad orders a coffee. Beside her are a group of 3 young women, one with a child of 2 or 3 years old.
The young girls are captivated by each other. There is something so beautiful about their childlike innocence. They stand eyeing each other up – taking in everything about the other – the sunglasses, the hat, the Winnie The Pooh tee, the crumbs around the mouth, the identical pigtails.
There is no shame in this, no fear.
I once heard it said that growing up is the ability to wear masks. We learn to hide our feelings and expressions. This is the joy of children: they have not yet learnt to do this. Their face says it all – the delight, the curiosity, the anticipation, the sadness.
They live as we were meant to live.
I’ve just added a new page to the site, fundraising… I’d really appreciate it if you’d take a wee look at it and help me out if you can.
Basically, in exchange for £20, I will send you a 10 x 8 sized print of (almost) any of my pictures, including postage.
Click on the page for more details. Please pass the word on as well… really appreciate it!
Recent Comments