December 10th
From Gloom to Glory!
From Gloom to Glory! What it is about Sunday mornings? Maybe it’s my punishment for not going to church anymore, but my demons are always sitting on the end of my bed on a Sunday morning.
The weather was fit for the launching of Noah’s Ark, which didn’t help. And of course I was late getting up. And of course, despite the fact that I had lovely plans for the day – preparation for a late afternoon International gathering to enjoy some English Christmas customs – those voices were singing in the choir of my head. “You’re late. You won’t be ready. You always leave things til the last minute. You may be full of good ideas, but you hardly ever give yourself enough time to make them happen with any grace…”
”Oh, and what about this blog you set yourself to write daily? You know you haven’t left time to do that either, don’t you? And you do realise that you are so superficial, that just getting it done is no good! You haven’t researched how to do all the correct tags, or formatting so all the effort you go to is largely wasted, because nobody is reading them…”
“Maybe that’s lucky though, because they are so rushed and so meaningless..”
It took me a good hour to change my mind with a coffee and meditation and Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto.
Finally I got myself going – pork and apricot casserole into the slow cooker, washing in the machine, dishes in the dishwasher…
And the day looked up… The annual pilgrimage to the cemetery with my lovely neighbour to go and collect greenery for the wreaths I had promised my alumni we would make – with the rain kindly pausing for the event.
Collecting my Christmas tree – the first time ever I hadn’t chosen it with my daughter. So I called her in Cambodia and begged her for a 2 minute video call. Hmmmm! Very grumpy (shorthand for hungover I have a feeling) and a refusal until guilt got the better of her 5 mins later.
Armed with the tree and pots of deliciously scented hyacinths I collected the first of my guests…
I’m not sure they were really enthralled with the idea of making wreaths, but with the inducement of chocolate orange panettone washed down my mulled wine/mulled fruit punch, we all set to work, and soon a concentrated silence settled over the room as we re-discovered the joy of making things with one’s hands, of handling scented rosemary, vibrant holly berries, delicate pine cones and dried orange slices.
Supper was a sharing of customs from round the globe – from Iran to Indonesia, Estonia to Afghanistan and all the way to the foot of Africa.
And after, a sharing of music and song around the fire.
What a glorious end to the gloomy start to the day.
This week I invite you to connect with others – who may have different ideas and different cultures, but with whom we can share nature, food, music and joy.