Seven weeks into my Extended Ministerial Development Leave and a chance to pause and take stock.
Lockdowns and uncertainties about being able to make plans meant that I started this period with only a vague idea of the route I would be taking. Ireland and the Silk Road will have to wait for a little longer. For six weeks I enjoyed an almost monastic existence; sleeping, walking, reading and working on ideas for a couple of photography projects. Limited access to the internet proved to be a real joy and often my daily tweet with a photo was as far as it got.
I have read a lot; a couple of books that I bought intentionally, one or two found through other recommendations, but most were those ones which had been on the shelves for a long time and needed to be read. I am still going strong! I am currently in a history of the Medici family but have explored areas around rest, shame, stress, discipleship, the influence of Christian thought on Western culture and Monet's painting of water lilies.
Slightly unfair, perhaps, but the top three to date...
- Mad enchantment: Claude Monet and the painting of the water lilies
- The ruthless elimination of hurry
- The body keeps the score (with bonus points for having a Matisse on the cover)
I have delved into the world of podcasts and find a daily update from the Spectator magazine gives me a deeper grasp of politics and really enjoy The Rest Is History amongst others. I have found a real depth of wisdom in the writing and podcasts of Pete Scazzero.
I have posted a couple of photos of my visits to the White Horses of Wiltshire and Ash trees in varying degrees of health as Ash die-back spreads. Sadly, I have missed some of them already - felled in the time it took me to go and grab my camera gear. I have found the slow, meditative process of building a collection of images a hugely satisfying and rewarding experience, even when the kit has been carried in the rain and the camera never even got out of the bag!
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