That time of year again...New Year's Resolutions

I thought at first I might check and see what I had written in previous years about resolutions and then I decided that I would write this first and then check back to see what I had written before.  So, here goes!

I don't believe that New Year's resolutions are worth writing.  However, I do think that it is important at some point in the year to reflect on where you are in life. 


So here are some reflection since I started this post: (January 23rd)

1. Life seems to be going along quite nicely and then something happens and it all falls apart.  I know that you can't live life in expectation of things falling apart but it is good to be reminded that it can and probably will happen.  A close friend was forced to resign from her job due to untenable work conditions.  That in itself is bad but then her parents decided to visit her to give her support and say goodbye before she moved, they were involved in a horrific car accident in which her mother died.

2. No matter what you do, there will be consequences, either direct or indirect.  If my friend had been supported at work instead of being left to flounder, her parents would not have been coming to visit.  I suppose we can't dwell too much on possible consequences of everything we do, as we go through our lives, or we would be paralysed by in action.  However a little reflection would not go amiss. 

Action, reaction.  I hear those words...from a French film, I think but I don't remember which one.  Look at Tunisia.  A young man sets himself alight and the whole country follows, figuratively not literally!  Now the same is happening in other countries of Africa and the Middle East.  It would be nice to know what the 'reaction' would be in advance.

Christmas Card

Christmas Card

Click above for our family Christmas Card!

Silence

One of the aspects of my life I recognize after my visit to Othona in October is a need for silence.  I do have times of silence in my day but often they are taken up by thoughts of work.  What I need to find is time for silent reflection.  I realized this immediately we arrived at Othona and have been thinking about it ever since.  Co-incidentally, a programme started on BBC on the Friday we returned, about 5 people who had gone into a silent retreat at a monastery in north Wales.  The 3 part series followed them through the time at the retreat and their re-entry into their daily lives.  If you live in the UK, you can watch the programme, which is called The Big Silence, on I-player.

So, have I found silence.  I came to realize that in fact I do have some silent times already.  One of them takes place when I swim.  I haven't swum regularly for nearly two weeks.  First it was because James and Naomi were visiting, then because I got a cold and either couldn't or didn't want to over do it.  I was very on edge and now I realize that it was not just because I missed the exercise but also because I missed the silent, reflection time.

(If you are reading this and the following comment is still here, it is because I haven't finished this post and will be back to it later.)

Having fun making movies!

I have been spending time at work looking at various websites to find the best, most interesting and most useful for our teachers.  Yesterday I was rather drawn in my Animoto.com and made two videos, one of my sister's wedding and one of our holiday in Wales this summer.  So now to show them to the world!

A relaxing week away

Last week was half term (6 weeks or so into a term we have a week's holiday) and Cliff and I went down to Othona, in Dorset to chill out and make chutneys, jams and breads.  What fun!  And what a lovely break from all media, including the Internet.  I highly recommend it to anyone.  Not knowing what is happening in the world and not being interrupted (by oneself or others) via various applications, is a heaven sent blessing.  Just alone with your thoughts and enjoying the simple conversation of others is a balm for the soul.

Sitting in silence.  I had forgotten how good that can be.  Each evening at Othona there is a chapel time.  On each occasion we sat for varying periods of time in silence.  There were moments when there were no thoughts going through my mind whatsoever.  No multi-tasking.  No trying so sort out several things at once.  Nothing!

Off on holiday for some reflection

It is interesting reading over what I have written recently. The first item I mentioned in my last posting - visiting Othona - is about to happen today. I am really looking forward to getting away! We were to have left yesterday but things came up and so we depart this morning. In that short time that we had at home yesterday instead of driving down to Dorset, I felt compelled to do work around the house. I really need a bit of a rest and I know I won't get it here. I also need some space to think and I always find that at Othona. So, more on the experience when I get back on Friday. In the meanwhile if you are interested in Othona, click here!

Where to go next?

Recently I reflected on what I had and had not done over the summer break. Since then I have been thinking about what I would like to accomplish over the time leading up to next summer's break. So, here goes!

1. I want to get back to visiting Othona on a regular basis. We haven't been in nearly two years and I miss it!

2. I want to write on a regular basis. This seems to be a re-occurring theme. I need to find at least an hour in every day to do so. I have some ideas on that.

3. I want to visit Naomi, James and Noah on a more regular basis. The coming weekend Cliff and I are going down on Friday afternoon and coming home Saturday evening, both ways by train. I find it hard to be away all weekend when I have school on the following morning. I'll see how this works and perhaps we will start doing it once a month.

4. I want to buy a bike and ride to work a few times a week. I don't think that it will happen because Cliff is so worried about me riding a bike in this country that he would sit a worry the whole time I was out. Alas!

(More to follow)