Thursday 21 May 2009

Hope and liminality

I was thinking about hope on the bike today. I have a melancholic streak in me which I put down to being a Capricorn Astrologically but which my late father put down to my Welsh blood. But I am also curiously optimistic. I think this hope business is rather a naive quality but it does me good and it helps me be useful to other people. People need hope. I seem able to plod like a good Capricorn along for years in hope and my hopes are not always fulfilled but...

I think this hope of mine is part of my faith but I have this curious relationship with belonging to groups whether professional or faith. I am intensely loyal and stick with groups longer than is probably good for me or for them but also I am quite often liminal, quite on the edge of groups. For instance many of my students see me as person-centred and whilst I am inspired by Carl Rogers I can't claim to be Person-Centred. Likewise being a Quaker is, partially my way of not having to decide whether I am a Christian or not. And sometimes I wonder whether I am truly a Quaker, whether I truly belong among such strange people as Quakers happen to be but then again I am strange too.

I was liminal in my family. I don't remember choosing it, I think it choose me. I was certainly liminal with regard to class and still am. Being part Welsh I am liminal with regard to being English. I feel liminal at times in my University but I do have a senior role so for my students I am central not liminal. I guess I do fit the notion of the eccentric professor except I am not yet and may never be granted that title. I love my current status as Reader since it implies dwelling in ideas which I love.

I am in a poetry competition run by Poetic Republic. The second round takes place now. I don't know whether my poem is in the second round but I am dead excited. Full of hope. I can barely hope to win the competition but I would love to be in the final 12. I don't think it is very likely but... watch this space.

Best,

Bill-on-bike

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