I'm still needing a lot of extra sleep at the moment, returning to bed and dozing for another hour after morning prayer and breakfast, eight and a half hours if not more. It seems to be doing me good, I think I'm starting to decompress now, and can work at things without getting stressed.
This morning's 'Thought for the Day' on Radio Four was from Dr Jane Leach, principal of Wesley House, Cambridge. She's one of the Beeb's regulars and usually original and insightful. Like most of the contributors at the moment she was reflecting on her experience of lock-down, working from home, looking after the kids.
This morning's 'Thought for the Day' on Radio Four was from Dr Jane Leach, principal of Wesley House, Cambridge. She's one of the Beeb's regulars and usually original and insightful. Like most of the contributors at the moment she was reflecting on her experience of lock-down, working from home, looking after the kids.
She spoke about how time-out changed perspectives on life in, but also how invasive fatigue has started to creep in. Lock-down made space to do new things and be creative, but some ambitions don't come to fruit. There's still not enough time in the day, but worst of all is the depletion of energy as time goes on.
She said how important it was not to struggle against this, but to yield, accept the tiredness, simply to let go, let God keep you safe. 'Underneath are the everlasting arms' as it says in Deuteronomy. It was such a blessing to hear this. It 'spoke to my condition', as Quaker George Fox would have said. If you struggle you risk depression and burn-out, the very things to avoid in a time of crisis. Well, this much I have learned, or maybe it's just my survival instinct, having lived and worked under pressure for many years, just like my father when he held key safety responsibilities underground. I well remember him saying to me as a teenager; "Whatever you do, don't take a job in a production industry. Your life is never your own." I saw the sense in this but didn't escape. The world into which I emerged became preoccupied with productivity or creativity in every direction, even the church. It was an effort and a challenge to learn just how to be.
Refreshed and relaxed, I enjoyed finishing off this week's bible study, and then putting together a BCP Communion service for Ascension Day, this Thursday, and then thinking about making a little prayer video for Ascensiontide as well. Everything's easier when I start in good time and don't have to rush. After lunch, I drove to St Josep to do some grocery shopping, then filled up seven canisters of drinking water, and returned, feeling pleased with the achievement, and went for a pleasant walk down to the sea shore and back. Rest, exercise, another attempt at an early night .. life continues and may even improve if I can figure out how not to overdo it.
My friend Roy, over in Alicante has recently been working on a project called 'Ideas World Cup 2020' inviting innovative young people to think of creative initiatives that could help the world get through the covid-19 pandemic. A fifteen year old lad from Cardiff is one of the finalists, proposing an idea that harnesses digital phone technology to virtual running events in cities around the world. An extension of what Clare is familiar with down the gym, where the treadmill screen lets you exercise at your own pace in scenic places, to forestall boredom. In principle it has a much lower carbon footprint than any current running tourism event. Amazing!
Refreshed and relaxed, I enjoyed finishing off this week's bible study, and then putting together a BCP Communion service for Ascension Day, this Thursday, and then thinking about making a little prayer video for Ascensiontide as well. Everything's easier when I start in good time and don't have to rush. After lunch, I drove to St Josep to do some grocery shopping, then filled up seven canisters of drinking water, and returned, feeling pleased with the achievement, and went for a pleasant walk down to the sea shore and back. Rest, exercise, another attempt at an early night .. life continues and may even improve if I can figure out how not to overdo it.
My friend Roy, over in Alicante has recently been working on a project called 'Ideas World Cup 2020' inviting innovative young people to think of creative initiatives that could help the world get through the covid-19 pandemic. A fifteen year old lad from Cardiff is one of the finalists, proposing an idea that harnesses digital phone technology to virtual running events in cities around the world. An extension of what Clare is familiar with down the gym, where the treadmill screen lets you exercise at your own pace in scenic places, to forestall boredom. In principle it has a much lower carbon footprint than any current running tourism event. Amazing!
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