Prayer

Hearts of mourning sail to all those affected by the incident in a French alpine disaster zone.
May they find courage within the sorrow.
May they find healing through their friends, families.
May they find support and comfort from their communities.
Hearts full of care and sadness.
Bless those who mourn.

If media reports are true, (of course further facts will unfold), then there is no glory in selfishness and thoughtlessness to kill self and others, nor to physically and psychologically injure those who live.
The lives of those who live will be forever affected by this tragedy.
The work involved is phenomenal.
The grief is unquantifiable.
It is terrible yet people will continue to journey.
 I feel a sense of shame for my trivia expressing self-centred pride of small achievements when there is soulful mourning in the world.

Post script:
There is no accounting for the mad man or mad woman who selfishly cannot think out of their own head and have compassion and care for others when suicide occurs. 
I know of two friends who selfishly took their own lives.

Liberty, Peace, Freedom

I used to own a white poppy which I would wear now in place of the black pencil.

I am writing for the truth of me as it exists at this moment... 

I do publish thoughts after much consideration yet, I exercise the right to formulate and change my writings about my beliefs if at any point I am persuaded differently.  
I exercise the right to amend, alter, edit, erase or withdraw this posting at any time in the future.
My thoughts are of yesterday and today.  My thoughts are with those who suffer. 

It is unknown for me to express my beliefs to anyone, least of all myself, and especially not publicly.  I have normally been too scared to have beliefs. It would label me!  However,I have learned in the last few years to begin to believe in SELF and that the values I ahve are worthy. I LOVE FRANCE.  I LOVE France because every where one goes or asks quelque-choses the French person has the time and the honour....

I also wish to state that this isn't my first or only blog/website but it is where I try to live in My Reality.   I am not afraid to come forward but I do like my privacy.

I strongly believe that every one should be KIND... and more than KIND... to LOVE... UNDERSTAND and FORGIVE... 

I believe in the freedom of expression without physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, intellectual abuse, without intimidation, without violence, without cruelty, without destruction, without murder, irregardless of belief in faith, religion, political stance, without discrimination against others, without negativity in any form. 

I condemn all cruelty, criminal activity, violence. I also believe that justice will come to those who are injust. What goes around will come around... or whatever the expression is.....

The world is full of terrible tragedies... people being taken against their will, transported to HOPE and away from violence only to be thrown into other chaos.  My heart is full of pain! Anguish!

People should be entitled to their beliefs and let live in Peace and Harmony alongside each other despite creed, colour, name, beliefs, disabilities, etc.

IT IS WRONG TO HURT OTHERS.
I am not perfect therefore I cannot preach. Mea culpa! 

I wanted to use  and WANT to use, but am reluctant to use the phrase supporting CH because I believe that Islamists, Catholics, Protestants, other religions or atheists or agnostics all have a right to support and express their beliefs providing that they are not trying to convert or intimidate others.  There was a Muslim killed in yesterday's murder in Paris.  None of those people should have been murdered.  The people who did this are running for their lives. 
What justice / injustice is it?  None. 
In my opinion it serves no end towards Peace between Nations and Peoples. 
YET... I HOPE that the murderers are caught soon. 

I don't like to use phrases that join me to a crowd.  That is because of my own internal dilemmas.
However, I have marched on rallies in the past and silently marched and also railed against that which has annoyed me. 
In LIFE, it is a FACT that I have had to come to terms with: 
PEOPLE get annoyed and get HURT by others .... and ...  annoy and hurt others. 

Probably, every human being, if offended or hurt  will attempt to explain themselves and even defend their thoughts and beliefs... that is freedom of expression.

HOWEVER,

I believe that everyone has the right to express their thoughts and emotions, to express beliefs without fear of violence providing that they do it without anger, without intimidation, without punishing others, without cruelty in any form.

I pray to God, any God, a God, all Gods, that Peace remains in the lands where I live and prevails in all places on this planet.

I believe that no one has the right to judge others against our own beliefs or thoughts as we try to work out what our beliefs are.....although I have judged and sometimes do. That causes me and has caused me much shame in the past and it is something I try hard not to think. If I do find myself making a judgement then I try very hard, I think, to question it and try to change it... I am not being righteous or holier than anyone... I am trying to be a better person at my age with my precious levels of innocence and naivety about the world and its peoples.

I believe that a person has the right to believe and follow a religious faith without judgement from other religious faiths or beliefs including being an agnostic or atheist and without giving judgement to others who may follow a different set of beliefs.
I believe that a person has the right to have political viewpoints which I may or may not agree with.

I believe that humans should not criticise, blame, denigrate those who they think do not believe in what they do... or who do not follow their path.  People who do that, perhaps think they are  better than, more perfect than the one they are criticising, or is it that they see themselves in that person!

I follow a belief that there are many religions and faiths where parts are plausible and no one should be persecuted for their beliefs.

I am not against Catholicism, though some Catholic managers treated me exceptionally badly, and in an un Christian manner, I have known since of C of E and Catholics being rude and unwelcoming in their own church and of course others who are very embracing. I once had a lovely friend who became a Muslim and he married and she became one too... Lovely, lovely people.  I once had a Jewish friend.  I have known Methodists and Baptists.  I also at one time in my life met a lot of Indians and they were wonderful. Music enjoined us.  I have known atheists and agnostics..

It doesn't matter what colour outside and inside we are ... it matters what kind of person we are...

Whoever has the power to injure or kill in my opinion is a mentally mad maniac and if that person has caused injury or death then they should be questioned/trialled.  I cannot begin to think what could/should/would happen to them.
I don't like to take the precious gift of life for a life but in some cases perhaps it is Just.

We do not need WAR OF RELIGION... we do not need WAR of any kind.

I cannot condone nor criticise the journalism but a message from the editor did seem rather taunting... and seemed to invite the Law of Attraction... that what we wish for can sometimes come true... although of course  in his case he did not wish what happened to come true.  I am deeply saddened for all those who have been injured, including the loved ones of the deceased and injured.

I know that cartoons have been created about Gods and Angels and Devils etc but it is wrong to provoke, to goad.

I know that and I have been guilty of goading in a minor way and it was terribly destructive. In my case it was done when one feels helpless or very injured inside.

If there is freedom of expression for one nation / one person then surely we have to accept that for all nations / all peoples / any person ... ???? ..... 

I don't like anger. I lived with a sometimes violent father and who was mostly as meek as a lamb.

I shy away from debate because I have never been able to in a face to face discussion express personal opinions or thoughts ... or even to have them when I am trying to listen to someone else and at the same time form an opinion about things I have no foundation or experience of.   I have not been able to debate. It is better if I can reflect.. and the internet helps me... I can read one set of values and another.  I only know what I have heard or read on the internet... and try to search for different viewpoints and not just National Press.

Lives have been ended... and I am deeply saddened that people want to kill others....
I don't necessarily agree with cartoonists or expressions of thought by journalists all the time as much as I don't always agree with myself all the time!

I live for Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.  (although I don't think that all is possible) BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRIVE for a better world.
In England, France or wherever,  there are peoples of different nationalities and faiths... we don't have to agree with them. As long as they don't hurt each other in any way at all, then we can live in Peace and Harmony.    I dream.   I worry. 

Last night some people wore labels ... and the phrase was screened at the start and end of the Mayoral Reception.  Solidarity?  The people involved in Paris have all played a part innocently or with provocation or deliberate action. I am so saddened

These thoughts are jumbled... I keep wondering if I should withdraw them from the public domain...
.... now... I need to attend my own business for I cannot change other people and the world.
It requires more than effort to change myself!

Times they are a changing

just like the weather...
after the shorts the rain,
after the rain the sun,
this is the way of life
where we had begun
with joy in our hearts
when a baby was born.
As we approach the latter years we strive to reject grey clouds of past errors and judgements,
sadnesses and sorrows, to let in sunshine with memories of good times, hoping that we can grow on whichever path we go.

Glad that I live am I; That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes, And the fall of dew.

After the sun, the rain, After the rain the sun;
This is the way of life, Till the work be done.

All that we need to do, Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow, Nearer to God on high.

A door closes, a window opens, a scene ends, a scene begins ... Let the sun shine in!   

Let us breathe in the goodness and light that exists in each one of us!   Amen

Disorder of Sundays

People thought to be close can become so distant!
The demise of social order and a day of rest!
Bring back Social Sundays and the closure of commercial and capitalist premises!
A sense of loss today and the need to be where I belong!
FRANCE!

The day after Christmas Day

The 'meanings' of Christmas and the 'meanings' of Pagan winter elements are sometimes lost with the continuing rise of consumerism and capitalism.  I once worked in a Catholic environment when initially, I was an atheist I'm not sure they knew that as they were desperate to have a pianist!
I believed I'd been sent there for a reason.  It lasted for 23 years. I worked hard to maintain the Catholic ethos, in which I almost converted to the Faith!  Work and Life was wonderful to begin with (I was saved )and then life became increasingly full of unsatisfactory experiences.  I was found "wanting" under my own and of the school's enormous stress, needing to learn further lessons in life. I left in ill-health. The school took at least another 5 years to recuperate it's own illness.  For whatever reason, certainly without preaching, I quote the Eight Beatitudes. I simply wish to remind myself of the struggles of humanity.

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.
3. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God
8. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I believe that whatever we sow, so shall we reap...therefore with knowledge, wisdom, insight, and with much more to learn...I am imperfect...May we all be blessed with finding a solution to our struggles...