Angels

Angels

1)      During the month of December I became very aware of the suffering in my extended families and close friends. It seemed so unfair and raised important issues for me about what is Life about and some of these touched on my spiritual faith. I felt like that I got my ideas about human existence all wrong. It was in a Unitarian Service in early January and during the final hymn a thought came to me that left me speechless and unable to sing. It was ‘We are meant to be broken because we are not angels’. Then I thought further about how being broken lets the light in. And I thought about Wilhelm Reich saying you can’t straighten a bent tree. And then I realised that I needed to see the beauty in the bent tree and in nature as whole, and some plants die quickly maybe after a late flowering and some die slowly. And then the seeds they leave behind germinate and fresh life appears.

2)      The problem with being (semi) retired is that I think a lot about my past or rather memories just turn up. I wince at how I have treated people on occasions. I have some real regrets - things I have done or not done. I can try and make amends where appropriate and possible and vow to not make the same mistake again. However, I am not perfect. Thinking about this in the Unitarian service at Cross Street Chapel this morning (March 2019), these words came, "I am not perfect, because I am not an angel" Somehow that feels a bit better!