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Date: 10 November 2006 14:55:12
This week has brought up a lot of things to do with dying and the grief process and resolved some things that I didn't know needed resolving.
As a result I feel much better, less angry, less stressed and generally more peaceful. Earlier in the week, however, I was definitely not feeling positive, quite the reverse in fact. I went home exhausted at the end of a trying day and decided to treat myself to early bed with a good book.
What should I read, I pondered in my frazzled state? I concluded that the book needed to be an old friend, something light hearted, with good characters and not too many thought-provoking issues. The book I am reading at the moment does not fulfill these conditions. I decided that I had not read any Terry Pratchett for a while and I would go and pick something from a few years ago. My hand landed on Carpe Jugulum.
Carpe Jugulum is a Witches book (like Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, etc) and Granny, Nanny et al are probably my favourite characters in the whole series (with the possible exception of Susan and Vimes). It also contains many vampires, or vampyres as they prefer. I had forgotten that this book also contains Mightily Oats, an Omnian priest who is struggling with the pastoral side of his calling, and is very unsure what to do if his holy books don't tell him.
So in my quest to find something escapist, I had found a book all about people struggling in pastoral situations, and trying to work out who they are. In my quest to avoid death and depressing things, I had chosen a book about the undead. Nevertheless, it did the trick and was exactly what was needed. That is the genius of PTerry - he hides things in the story to trap the unwary.
Among the things that I have come across recently are chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation. They are quite the most amazing visions. I am not usually the sort of person that uses images very much - words are the communication tools to which I would default - but the images in Revelation, and also in the Old Testament prophecies have broadened my horizons and given me a lot to think about.
What else did I have to write about? Oh yes, the joys of singing. I love to sing, particularly in a small choir. I'm managing to fit a bit of choral singing in every so often at the moment and it is so lovely. As a colleague said today, "I never feel closer to God than when I sing".
Back to some essays. My study sharer will be very cross if she gets back from her meeting and I am still blogging.