When folk come together, often through their own efforts and desires, great and lovely things can happen.
Several things of note have happened this week – some of which were conversations following last week’s newsletter and about the world of work. It seems there are three boxes to be ticked when it comes to labour feeling less like toil: firstly it needs to be something for which we have a passion, secondly, we need to be good at it, and thirdly, it needs to pay the bills. Tick all three boxes and the drudgery disappears – work no longer feels like work. The other topics for conversation centred on ‘community’ – and two specific examples. One was our Book Club, always a joyful evening, gentle chitter-chatter amongst a community of book lovers, and in particular one conversation about the idea of a Reading Club – a coming together of fellow readers to discuss a variety of books and specifically the joy of reading. It’s an idea which may flourish into a reality – watch this space! The second example was from the ‘We Have Ways’ community. This merry band of Second World War History enthusiasts, known as the ‘Independent Company,’ have coalesced around the podcast of the same name. Started by James Holland and Al Murray, the WHW podcasts passed the 600 episode milestone this last week. A remarkable endeavour on the part of the creators, but a truly wonderful example of community: when folk come together, often through their own efforts and desires, great and lovely things can happen.
The Trees by Philip Larkin
The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief.
Is it that they are born again
And we grow old? No, they die too,
Their yearly trick of looking new
Is written down in rings of grain.
Yet still the unresting castles thresh
In full grown thickness every May.
Last year is dead, they seem to say,
Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.
The full newsletter with links to books can be found HERE
