Life – Page 28 – Journeys of Heart and Mind

Blast from the past… 15

We had a great weekend together, perhaps the highlight was visiting Bourton-on-the-Water and its model village.

Notes from bygone years – Many bygone Februaries
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

February 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

My shingles rash cleared up. On 16th, three of our grandchildren took part in a school production of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ musical; they all did extremely well and the whole family was proud of them. I had a discussion with a friend about Gumstool Brook issues and then we chatted about possible changes to British parliamentary processes. Encouraged by the conversation, I wrote an article about my my ideas for change.

We explored (and enjoyed) the centre of Marlborough on 19th. It’s a lovely little town, full of interesting shops, cafes and restaurants. We walked into small courtyards off the long, wide Market Place in beautiful sunshine, quite unusual at this time of year.

JHM: I wrote about groundbreaking. – World events: – There was a huge earthquake causing damage and loss of life in parts of Turkey and Syria.

< Jan 2023 – Mar 2023 >

February 2022 (2 years before publishing)

We visited the Rococo Gardens in Painswick, renowned for its abundance of snowdrops.

Also this month, Donna resigned as a school teacher; when she left after completing the school year, she focussed fully on maths tutoring instead.

World events: Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee; Russia invaded Ukraine.

< Jan 2022 – Mar 2022 >

February 2019 (5 years before)

Our friend Kevin and his daughters visited us from Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire. We had a great weekend together, perhaps the highlight was visiting Bourton-on-the-Water and its model village. We also showed them round Cirencester and spent time at home chatting.

World events: A US/North Korea Summit was held in Vietnam.

< Jan 2019 – Mar 2019 >

February 2014 (10 years)

Debbie, Aidan and Sara came to stay for a weekend and we did a day trip to London on the train (an easy journey from St Neots). We packed a lot in, and one of the highlights was a boat trip on the Thames with a visit to Hamley’s toy shop and an open-top bus over Tower Bridge.

A few day’s later Donna and I flew to Madeira for a week’s holiday in a much warmer climate than the one in London!

JHM: I posted ‘Fail to succeed‘ about the value of taking risks. – World events: The Maidan Revolution took place in Ukraine.

< Jan 2014 – Mar 2014 >

February 2009 (15 years)

I went to a meeting in Chepstow to share experiences and discuss house church. It was a friendly and enjoyable session with a small group, mostly from places around South Wales. I was the only person who’d travelled from the East of England and I was made very welcome.

JHM: I wrote about the summer kids’ camp being planned. – World events: 1234567890 seconds of Unix time was celebrated (mostly by geeks and nerds).

< Jan 2009 – Mar 2009 >

February 2004 (20 years)

We visited Anglesey Abbey with some friends. The new winter walk planted by the National Trust was quite new in 2004, but it’s nicely matured by now and is spectacular in February. The old house is interesting too, but the walled garden is one of our favourite places. It was an easy trip from St Neots but a long journey from Cirencester!

World events: Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook for Harvard students, and there was a coup in Haiti.

< Jan 2004 – Mar 2004 >

February 1999 (25 years)

This web page (click the image to enlarge it) was downloaded in February 1999 on my Unilever PC. It was part of Long Ashton Research Station’s website. I set up the web server and created the website in 1996 or thereabouts – very trendy in those days! The ‘Last changed’ date on the page shows it had not been edited since May ’97.

World events: An attempt to impeach US President Bill Clinton failed; and Galtür, an Austrian village, was destroyed by an avalanche.

< Jan 1999 – Mar 1999 >

Febuary 1994 (30 years)

This is a little piece of advice I offered on a mailing list for Novell Netware managers. It’s about a utility I’d found useful while setting up and running Long Ashton‘s Netware 3.11 server. (The server allowed users to login to access file space over the local network from their PCs.)

World events: Edvard Munch‘s painting The Scream was stolen in Oslo; a Hubble Space Telescope photo of Pluto and its moon Charon was released.

< Jan 1994 – Mar 1994 >

February 1989 (35 years)

Here’s our daughter Beth feeding a Macaw during a family visit to the Rode Bird Gardens in Somerset, an easy day trip from Yatton where we lived at the time.

Sadly, the Bird Gardens closed in 2001.

World events: The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan ended; and the first GPS satellite was launched.

< Jan 1989 – Mar 1989 >

February 1984 (40 years)

We were living at 22 Rectory Drive in Yatton, between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. Debbie was almost nine at the time, and Beth was four. Judy might already have been teaching biology at Cotham Grammar School by this time and would have started a new term. I was working at Long Ashton Research Station.

World events: The 10th Space Shuttle mission took place; and the very first TED conference was held.

< Jan 1984 – Mar 1984 >

February 1979 (45 years)

Our daughters were growing – Debbie was almost four, and Beth turned nine months. At Long Ashton Research Station I was working on oil palm pollination, training and supporting a biologist before he left for Papua New Guinea, as well as continuing research into pollination of temperate fruit crops.

World events: The Islamic Revolution was underway in Iran; and a shipwrecked Soviet tanker caused a huge oil spill in the Baltic Sea.

< Jan 1979 – Mar 1979 >

February 1974 (50 years)

This was a time when Judy and I were living in our flat at 20 Belmont Road, Bristol, collecting together whatever bits of furniture we could find. My grandmother had given us £60 and told us to buy a really good bed (in those days that was perfectly feasible). Judy’s parents gave us their old 3-piece suite, we bought a second hand dining table and chairs, and two new bar stools to use in the kitchen. It was a big step-up from our previous, furnished bed-sit!

World events: The crew of Skylab 4 returned to Earth after 84 days; the UK General Election ended in a hung parliament.

< Jan 1974 – Mar 1974 >

February 1969 (55 years)

I had a letter from Judy, back at university in Aberystwyth while I was at Bath. We were newly engaged, and in the early stages of trying to fix a possible wedding date; from our point of view the sooner the date the better. But practical considerations introduced a lot of delays; at the very least we needed to be able to live in the same town!

This time, the letter was on the craziest paper I’ve ever seen. It must have been difficult to write on, and it was certainly difficult to read!

World events: The Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo Jet’ flew for the first time; and the Mariner 6 Mars probe was launched by NASA.

< Jan 1969 – Mar 1969>

February 1964 (60 years)

This is not strictly about my life, it’s about Judy, later my first wife. She and a friend were in the Guides in February 1964, and were planning a trip to Cardiff, this is the first page of Judy’s report on the trip.

She lived in Filton, north of Bristol, at the time. Most of their friends chose Bath as an easy option, but Judy and Val decided on the more adventurous journey to Cardiff.

World events: Fighting broke out in Cyprus between Greeks and Turks; Cassius Clay beat Sonny Liston to become the World Heavyweight Champion.

< Jan 1964 – Mar 1964>

February 1959 (65 years)

I was given a Premium Bond on 24th, here’s a picture of it. I still have it somewhere (not sure where it is, though). As far as I know it hasn’t won me a prize yet, but perhaps I should check! I don’t plan to sell it back, it’s worth far more to me as a memento than the £1 face value. In 1959 £1 would have had the purchasing power of nearly £30 today.

World events: There were two plane crashes in the USA on 3rd, Buddy Holly died in one of them. The first weather satellite, Vanguard 2, was launched from Cape Canaveral.

< Jan 1959 – Mar 1959>

February 1954 (70 years)

My second term at junior school continued uneventfully as far as I remember it. The daily pattern began with taking off hats, scarves and coats and putting them away on hooks before making our way to the classroom to begin the day. Then our teacher, Mrs Hourihane, would call out our names and we each had to raise an arm when our name was called. The upstairs classroom had a large window overlooking the back garden and play area.

World events: President Eisenhower warned against USA involvement in Vietnam. Crimea was transferred from Russia to Ukraine, both part of the Soviet Union at the time.

< Jan 1954 – Mar 1954>

February 1949 (75 years)

We were still living with my grandparents while Mum and Dad waited for a council house on the Beeches Estate. It was stormy, wet and cold, with snow around the 20th February. I was 7 months old at the end of February.

World events: President Truman announced that he would only meet Stalin if he visited Washington as a personal guest. The Soviet Union offered Norway a non-aggression pact and warned them not to join NATO.

< Jan 1949 – Mar 1949>

February 1944 (80 years)

Dad was busy in February and had many interests. There was the Boogie Woogie music world (he bought several more records this month), driving for his parents, the birth of a niece (Susan), the Air Training Corps (ATC), playing football, watching films at the cinema, working on the nurseries (the family business) and card games with friends and family, often Newmarket and usually for small amounts of money.

World events: The Battle of Monte Cassino destroyed the famous, old monastery. A shipment of heavy water is sabotaged in Norway.

< Jan 1944 – Mar 1944>

< Previous | Index | Next >

Blast from the past… 14

I looked around the Abbey Nursery where there still remains some evidence of John Jefferies & Son, the old family business.

< Previous | Index | Next >

Notes from bygone years – Some more Januarys
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

January 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

The River Churn burst its banks, most of the inundation was restricted to the flood plain, but some properties suffered a bit of damage. We were OK as we live on a hill, but anywhere down in the flood plain and most of central Cirencester is quite low lying.

Towards the end of the month I developed shingles. Although I had a rash on my left shoulder and upper chest, I had no discomfort with it other than a very slight itch. Eventually it faded away gradually and with no drama, and I’ve now been vaccinated.

JHM: I posted about a short walk in Cirencester. – World events: – Croatia adopted the Euro and joined the Schengen Area in January.

< Dec 2022 – Feb 2023 >

January 2022 (2 years before publishing)

In January 2022 I looked around the Abbey Nursery where there still remains some evidence of John Jefferies & Son, the old family business. It’s now a small park and wildlife reserve – City Bank Park. The concrete surface and the block built bins for sand, gravel and other materials can still be seen in the photo. Tidy up and sweep away the leaves and it would look much as it did when I was a child and the site was still in use producing the town’s supply of Christmas trees.

JHM: I wrote about three objects in the evening sky, not all of them easy to see. – World events: The number of COVID cases worldwide passed 300 million and more than 10 billion doses of vaccine had been given.

< Dec 2021 – Feb 2022 >

January 2019 (5 years before)

In January 2019 it was the end of the road for Bennett’s Garage in Victoria Road, Cirencester. Dad always filled his car at Bennett’s as John Jefferies & Son had an account here. I once borrowed a ladder from Brian Bennett when I locked myself out of Churnside. The business continues at another site, but Victoria Road will never seem quite the same.

JHM: I posted a video of the Earth rising over the Moon. – World events: The Orthodox Church of Ukraine was granted independence from the Russian Orthodox Church.

< Dec 2018 – Feb 2019 >

January 2014 (10 years)

In January 2014 Paul and Vanessa visited us and we drove over to Cambridge and spent part of the day there, enjoying the sights and the bustle of the crowds. Cambridge has such a great atmosphere and energy! However, we got caught in a torrential downpour waiting for the Park and Ride bus to get home.

JHM: I posted about meeting Gerald who was in his wheelchair all alone in the middle of Huntingdon. – World events: Latvia adopted the Euro, the 18th member of the Eurozone.

< Dec 2013 – Feb 2014 >

January 2009 (15 years)

In January 2009 Meredith took delivery of a new cooker. We drove up to York for New Year so the Christmas presents arrived a week late; it’s almost like having Christmas twice! We always look forward to our winter trip to York.

JHM: I wrote about the journey and how we know the way. – World events: The cryptocurrency Bitcoin was created.

< Dec 2008 – Feb 2009 >

January 2004 (20 years)

We visited my Mum and Dad in Cirencester for New Year; this was about two years before Mum died, though of course we didn’t know that. Treasure people while you can! Mum always laid a fine spread on the table and you can see some of it in the photo.

World events: NASA landed two rovers on Mars, Spirit and Opportunity.

< Dec 2003 – Feb 2004 >

January 1999 (25 years)

I made some progress with WebForum, an information website for Unilever‘s research labs around the globe; there were two of these in the UK, one in the Netherlands, and another in the USA. I think by this time the software had been rolled out to all sites except for the Netherlands where they decided to create their own version. Attention was turning instead to Y2K testing.

World events: The new Euro currency was introduced on 1st January.

< Dec 1998 – Feb 1999 >

January 1994 (30 years)

Dan visited us and we looked at some of the sights in Bristol, including the Observatory up at Clifton near the famous Suspension Bridge, and later the Industrial Museum down in the docks area. The photo shows Dan, Beth and Judy in the museum.

World events: The Northridge Earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles on 17th. Parts of a raised freeway collapsed and 60 or 70 people died.

< Dec 1993 – Feb 1994 >

January 1989 (35 years)

We had a quieter New Year’s Day after a fairly full-on Christmas the previous month. Debbie and Beth played draughts while half-watching ‘Neighbours’ on TV.

World events: The European Single Market was created; and Czechoslovakia divided itself into independent nations, the Czech Republic (later Czechia) and Slovakia.

< Dec 1988 – Feb 1989 >

January 1984 (40 years)

We were living at 22 Rectory Drive in Yatton, between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. Debbie was nine at the time, and Beth was six. Judy might already have been teaching biology at Cotham Grammar School by this time and would have started a new term. I was working at Long Ashton Research Station.

World events: The Apple Macintosh went on sale in the USA, and President Reagan announced that a space station would be developed.

< Dec 1983 – Feb 1984 >

January 1979 (45 years)

My Mum sent this postcard 0n 17th January to her mother (my Granny-in-Ireland) in the village of Coagh. She wrote, ‘We went to the theatre with Ruth and Martin, her boyfriend, and his parents. It was fun walking round Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square with all the lights on. Ruth sends her love to you both.

World events: The USA severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.

< Dec 1978 – Feb 1979 >

January 1974 (50 years)

Judy and I were living in our flat at 20 Belmont Road in St Andrews, Bristol. She was newly trained as a teacher, I was completing research towards my MSc thesis. The photo shows a view of Berkeley Square and the Wills Memorial Building (part of Bristol University) beyond it, taken from the top of nearby Brandon Hill. Comet Kohoutek was visible in the evening skies and we managed to spot it from the bay window in our flat.

World events: The F-16 fighter flew for the first time, and sextuplets were born in Cape Town with all surviving.

< Dec 1973 – Feb 1974 >

January 1969 (55 years)

I began the second term of my third year at Bath University, Judy returned to Aberystwyth to continue her second year there. This was, as always, an unwelcome time of separation; but as compensation our engagement was announced in the Gloucestershire Echo. (It’s very tiny, click the image to enlarge it and you still might not see it at first.)

World events: The Beatles played live for the last time, and Richard Nixon was sworn in as President of the USA.

< Dec 1968 – Feb 1969>

January 1964 (60 years)

I was living at Churnside (37 Victoria Road) in Cirencester, with my Mum and Dad and three sisters. I was in the Fifth Form (now Year 11) at Cirencester Grammar School and just starting the second term in January.

World events: The US Government reported that smoking might be a health risk, and plans to build the World Trade Center in New York were announced.

< Dec 1963 – Feb 1964>

January 1959 (65 years)

I was 10½ years old at the end of January, and in my final year of Junior School. This was the year in which we would take our eleven-plus exams; the results decided which of us would go to the Grammar School, and which to the Secondary Modern; so the emphasis in this final year was partly to familiarise us with the style of questions typical of the eleven-plus. (Today these schools are combined.)

World events: The Soviet spacecreft, Luna 1, was the first to break free of Earth orbit, and Alaska was admitted as the 49th American state.

< Dec 1958 – Feb 1959>

January 1954 (70 years)

This was my second term at Querns School in Cirencester. It was a far happier experience for me than starting my first term: I knew my way around, I’d made some friends, and I had a good idea what to expect from my teacher, Mrs Hourihane; also I was more confident of spending time without Mum and Dad. I was 5½-years-old and I probably felt quite grown up! My teacher was a budding author as well!

World events: IBM demonstrated the world’s first machine translator, and a de Havilland Comet airliner disintegrated in mid-air.

< Dec 1953 – Feb 1954>

January 1949 (75 years)

I was 6 months old at the end of the month and we were living at Granny and Grandpa’s house (Churnside, 37 Victoria Road). I think Grandpa liked having a baby in the house again, apparently Mum found it difficult to get me back sometimes! Dad was by far their youngest child (his youngest brother, Bob, was 15 years older). Mum and Dad were on the list for a council house at the Beeches Estate, but those houses were still being built.

World events: Communist forces entered Beijing, in the USA Harry Truman was sworn in as President.

< Dec 1948 – Feb 1949>

January 1944 (80 years)

Dad was now driving my grandfather’s Wolseley on errands to the nurseries and managed to reach the amazing speed of 50 mph on 5th January. His ATC uniform arrived and he had opportunities to use the Link Trainer at South Cerney Airfield as well as examine some aircraft. He passed his Morse test at the end of January.

World events: The Allies landed at Anzio in Italy and a British vessel was sunk there by an early German guided missile.

< Dec 1943 – Feb 1944>

< Previous | Index | Next >

Chastleton House Long Gallery

We enjoyed every aspect of the house … and we plan to return in the summer to view the garden as well.

We visited Chastleton House recently, it’s a Jacobean country house in the Cotswolds, between Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Norton. Amongst other features it has the wonderful Long Gallery with a curved, plasterwork ceiling and panelled walls. Amazing!

The house is in the care of the National Trust and was open to the public for the period leading up to Christmas. They’d decked it out with Christmas decorations as they might have been in the 1960’s – wrapped gifts, paper chain decorations, Christmas tree lights of the period, everything.

But the real gem, and what I especially wanted to see, was the Long Gallery. It was certainly not a disappointment!

We enjoyed every aspect of the house, of course, and we plan to return in the summer to view the garden as well. Living, as we do, in Cirencester it’s not a long journey so we can also visit in spring and autumn too if we wish.

I can recommend a visit to Chastleton. It’s a gem of a place.

Blast from the past… 13

In December 2022 I posted my first attempt at ‘Blast from the past’. It was brief, covering just 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 years

< Previous | Index | Next >

Notes from bygone years – December after December, Christmas after Christmas…
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

December 2022 (1 year before publishing this article)

In December 2022 I posted my first attempt at ‘Blast from the past’. It was brief, covering just 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 years; I only mentioned earlier JHM blog posts, nothing about my personal history or memories, and no images. It’s changed beyond recognition in 12 months!

On 17th December we drove up to York to visit my daughters and our grandchildren. On the way, the snowy fields and trees were really lovely to see. On the 18th we walked into the centre of York together and looked around Fairfax House, a fabulous and fascinating place – well worth a visit if you’re in York and haven’t seen it before. On 19th, back at home, I built a stack of cats! These were a present, a game where players take turns to add one cat – until the stack collapses.

Also in December 2022, I published an article about order and disorder, destruction and abundance, restrictions and freedom. I called it My Father is a farmer.

< Nov 2022 – Jan 2023 >

December 2021 (2 years before publishing)

In December 2021 the young Moon and Venus made for a lovely sky in the evening twilight. I took this photo, only noticing later that a passing bird had photobombed the scene!

My friend, Nick Henderson invited me to write an article on why I left the Anglican church. You can read it here on my blog, and and on his website, Anglicanism.org.

< Nov 2021 – Jan 2022 >

December 2018 (5 years before)

In December 2018 I took a photo of the clock on Cirencester’s Parish Church tower. The honey coloured Cotswold limestone of the tower glows gloriously in the orange light of the setting sun. What a combination! Studying the photo later, I realised for the first time that the clock face is painted onto the stone of the tower. I had always imagined it was a large wooden or metal panel.

I posted an online card for Christmas and New Year, hoar frost on red berries.

< Nov 2018 – Jan 2019 >

December 2013 (10 years)

In December 2013 I was at a Newforms Gathering in Nottingham. It was great to be amongst other people doing their best to follow Jesus and represent him in what is often a very broken world.

On JHM I wrote about food banks and why they were needed in Britain. Sadly they are still needed a decade later.

< Nov 2013 – Jan 2014 >

December 2008 (15 years)

In December 2008 we visited Donna’s parents and walked along the coast near Bournemouth. It looked lovely with some strong sunshine, but my word it was cold!

I wrote an article on JHM the same month on the topics of science and technology.

< Nov 2008 – Jan 2009>

December 2003 (20 years)

In December 2003 I was working for Unilever Research; and the department had a couple of working away days as a planning and learning exercise. These were always daytime effort and evening fun.

< Nov 2003 – Jan 2004 >

December 1998 (25 years)

In December 1998 we were living in Tilbrook, a tiny village near Kimbolton, Bedfordshire. I received my replacement driving licence for the new address. There was no plastic card, this document folded up and fitted into a flexible plastic sleeve.

< Nov 1998 – Jan 1999 >

December 1993 (30 years)

In December 1993 we were living in Yatton and visited Judy’s parents in Cheltenham for Christmas and my parents in Cirencester for New Year. Here are Cindy, Rachael, Neil and Tom in the dining room at Churnside, playing Buccaneer. It’s a 1938 game of pirates, treasure, shipwreck and rum – great fun.

< Nov 1993 – Jan 1994 >

December 1988 (35 years)

In December 1988 we visited my parents in Cirencester. Dad still had his African land snail in the glass tank and everyone was interested to take a closer look at it. Beth is unfortunately hidden behind Debbie in this shot. The glass tank was originally for a lead-acid radio battery.

< Nov 1988 – Jan 1989 >

December 1983 (40 years)

In December 1983, my department at Long Ashton was beginning the process of working out how proposed budget cuts would effect staff. Some would be redeployed in other research centres. Others would be made redundant.

< Nov 1983 – Jan 1984 >

December 1978 (45 years)

In December 1978 Debbie was three and three quarters and Beth was 7 months old. We’d been in our 1960s mid-terrace house in Yatton for some time but there still seemed to be enough room for us. In Iran, two million people demonstrated in the streets against the Shah.

< Nov 1978 – Jan 1979 >

December 1973 (50 years)

In December 1973, we were trying to save enough money for a deposit on a mortgage. We’d saved quite a lot, but house prices were rising faster than we could manage.

The Pioneer 10 spacecraft was the first probe to fly past Jupiter. The images were fuzzy by modern standards, but far better than any telescope could achieve at the time. I remember sitting in the library at work in my lunch break, reading about it in Science, Nature, and at home in New Scientist.

< Nov 1973 – Jan 1974 >

December 1968 (55 years)

December 1968 was a significant month. As far as I can recall, on 31st December both families were in the same room in Cheltenham when I asked Judy’s Dad if I might marry his daughter. He said, ‘Yes’, right away so all was well. It’s possible this was very early January, but I think it was New Year’s Eve. Of course, Judy and I had decided this well in advance but it was fun to make the move with everyone present!

< Nov 1968 – Jan 1969 >

December 1963 (60 years)

In December 1963 I was in the Fifth Form at Cirencester Grammar School. Mum made the usual stonkingly large Christmas cake (we always managed to eat it all in a week or so). Even Chloe, the dog has a small slice on her own plate in the photo. And, of course, it goes without saying that there’s Marmite on the table.

< Nov 1963 – Jan 1964 >

December 1958 (65 years)

In December 1958 I was in my 6th and final year at Querns School. One of my friends from before we started school, Robert Kneale, wrote a Christmas poem for our teacher, Miss Taylor. We were both ten at the time, I wonder if he had a little help from his Dad, George? It’s a great effort – click on the image to read it.

< Nov 1958 – Jan 1959 >

December 1953 (70 years)

In December 1953 I was five-years-old and finished my first school term.

The world of human paleontology was still reeling following the announcement on 20th November that Piltdown Man had been a hoax.

< Nov 1953 – Jan 1954 >

December 1948 (75 years)

At the end of December 1948 I was five months old and turned over by myself for the first time on 2nd. Dad had a 10/- raise in his wages and was busy lifting Christmas trees for sale.

< Nov 1948 – Jan 1949 >

December 1943 (80 years)

In December 1943 Dad travelled by train to Paddington Station and on to Euston House where he went through a series of subject exams and aptitude tests. He was enlisted as a Radar Operator in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, received 10/6d pay, and was deferred for six months. He was very disappointed to have been turned down as a pilot.

< Nov 1943 – Jan 1944 >

< Previous | Index | Next >

Season’s Greetings 2023

I have something a little different for you this year. The photo shows a reflected image of Cirencester Parish Church in a puddle of water in Gosditch Street. What can this photo say to us?

More and more, the UK is a rich mix of people from many cultural backgrounds. That’s why the title is not ‘Christmas Greetings’. Please accept the greetings and replace the word ‘Season’ with whatever you like. If you’re Hindu you could choose Diwali as a reminder of your celebrations in November, or Jewish friends might go with Hannukah in December, if you’re Muslim you might look forward to Lailat al Miraj in February; Buddhists might consider Bodhi Day, and there are more groups of people I haven’t mentioned specifically. But whatever you celebrate, please take my greetings as a blessing for the whole of next year – spring, summer, autumn and winter.

I’d also like to bless you with a few thoughts about the picture. What, indeed, is in a puddle?

Look at the same puddle from any other angle and you would see dirty water; perhaps some litter; bits of road grit; a rather grubby, yellow ‘no parking’ line; and the general detritus of everyday life. But look at it from just the right angle and you see a reflected image, in this case an image of beautiful mediaeval architecture, detailed fine carving in stone, and the leaves of a living tree.

Look at the world around you and you will see pain, loss, discouragement, guilt, and hard struggles for survival. But look at the world from just the right angle and you will see altogether better things. Love for family, friends, and neighbours, beauty in nature and in people’s hearts and actions, joy, discovery, encouragement, peace, and thriving life. As a follower of Jesus (Yahshua, Isa), when I look at him in the right way I see a reflection of the Creator, the Source and Power behind this amazing universe.

Reflections in puddles also have another effect – they turn everything upside down. Jesus did that too: he confronted people with truth, he pointed out false motives, uncaring behaviour by the wealthy, blame-shifting, and striving for power or approval. People don’t like that, truth is often inconvenient.

Who should we think of this winter? Who can we help in some practical way? It might be someone in the road where we live, or the place where we work. In the world at large let’s remember the people in Ukraine, Gaza, and other places where there are struggles and loss of life (it’s not hard to think of more).

So my message this winter is that we should all help those around us. Talk with lonely people, provide some dried or canned food to your local food bank, donate warm clothes you no longer need, perhaps to a charity shop. If you can afford a gift of money, choose a charity that will use your donation wisely and effectively. And reach out more widely too, perhaps on the internet; send a message of encouragement or a gift to someone.

So whoever you are, whatever faith you have (or none), I hope 2024 will be a year to look forward to. As this year closes and the new one arrives, my hope, wish, and prayer for you is that grace and blessing will fill your life in ways hoped for and ways unexpected.

Let’s all be grateful for what we have, and display compassion and love towards those who need it. In that way, blessing will have a chance to touch you, and through you, touch others as well.

PS – If you like the puddle photo, click it for the full size version. Print it out, put it in a frame and hang it on the wall. Give a copy to friends if you think they’d like it; or send them a link to this message.

Other years

2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016