Solstice greetings to you all. Here in the northern hemisphere it is the shortest day of the year, which means that the world is beginning to turn slowly back towards the light. We have a good two months of darkness to navigate yet here in the damp Atlantic west, but the corner has been turned.
This is your last chance for 2023 to open any conversation of your choosing with your fellow readers. But first, three pieces of Christmas housekeeping:
Last-minute present idea number one! For the next four days you can still take out an annual subscription to the Abbey for 15% off the usual price. This offer expires on Christmas Day. You can take advantage of it by clicking here.
Last-minute present idea number two! Ewan Craig, who is illustrating my Wild Saint tales with his stunning woodcuts, is selling limited edition prints of them, and other things, in his online shop.
The Abbey will be on holiday from the end of this week until Theophany (6th January.) I’ll be back on the 7th with news of what 2024 will hold. As well as the next installments in my Wild Saints and Holy Wells series, I have other plans afoot for this place and its people.
With that out of the way, the floor is yours. Talk about anything you’d like. I only wish I could provide mulled wine. But perhaps you can provide your own.
And I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. I’ve much appreciated all your support, readership, commentary and argument this past year. That I began 2023 writing long think-pieces about the Machine and ended it wandering around holy wells only makes it more remarkable that you are all still here. I’m glad that you are. Cheers and many blessings to you all.
Merry Christmas Paul to you and your lovely family,
At this time of year (and especially on this Solstice day) I find myself reflecting on what it means foe their to be so much darkness and night at this time of year - as well as the bitting cold and frost. I find myself sleeping an extra hour or two and rest more often during the day. I wonder if this is actually normal - how it should be?. I wonder if winter should be a time of rest, recuperation and even hibernation(!) after the frantic activity of summer and harvest.
But, I know that in our modern machine world with the ubiquitous electric lights and blue glows of the screens coupled with our always frantic paced work culture winter is just as much a hive of activity than spring and summer. Perhaps leaning back as much as we can into the rhythms and limitations of nature is one way of resisting the machine?
It’s been a fun and strange venture with you here, Paul. You’ve challenged my ideas about God, people and society. The first (God) I have more faith in. The second I have hope for. The third…. Still watching and waiting to rebuild that one once the great fall is over with. Seems to be taking a while. But there is much to collapse I guess.
As for the salon, I just want to offer everyone else here a Merry Christmas and a bit of encouragement / caution. The American politics of 2016 seem to be ramping up again and we all know this unfortunately spills to the rest of the world. Now is the time to focus on your people, place and prayer. Things will not get better. I truly believe the worst of American theatre is to come in 2024. But don’t let that turmoil from the artificial ruin what is real.
Your family and friends are real. Love them. Spend time with them.
Your place is real. Pray for your city, village or rural neighbors. Get to know them. Dine with them. They’re probably more interesting than anything going on on TikTok.
And focus on prayer. Meditate on the truth and ask God to reveal Himself to you. Ask where you can join Him already at work. He may just point you back to your neighbors. Or He may not. Give yourself to Him and let Him lead you to the desert if He wants. Wherever He leads you He surely won’t leave you.