ok so most of my recent posts seem to be going mystical, (and could be in danger of going flowery, but you should SEE those flowers man!)

and we are more appreciative than normal of scousers these days.

and things do keep happening that are slightly disconcertingly life affirming.

Lighting cigarettes on a bonfire.
Peace in the dark trance pounding the air feet dewed grass.
A thousand jellyfish on the tide; and bats silhouetted in the midnight daylight.
Breakers cleaned and spray dawn lit.

what's the story morning glory?

"....I can't begin to describe a day as wonderful as this. One marvel after another, each lasting less than five minutes, it was enough to drive one mad."
-Claude Monet (letter to Alice Monet, London 3rd February 1901)

"He still had some doubts about the decision he had made. But he was able to understand one thing: making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision."
-Paolo Coelho (the alchemist)

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of God's hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no language or speech where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
Their words to the ends of the world."
-19th Psalm

"The water was shot through with what looked like white roots; briefly a great celestial tree stood in the ocean. I had never imagined such a thing possible, lightning striking the sea. The clap of thunder was tremendous. The flash of light was incredibly vivid."
-Yann Martel (life of pi)

"Day to put coracle on the brine,
Day to place staff to the flag,
Day to bear, day to die,
Day to hunt the heights."
-(from the 'Thursday of St Columba')

"Life is now.
headlong chaotic,
storms of exhilirating blur,
despairing grief.
forgetfulness.
all empires fall.
reckless voyage,
on a wing and a prayer.
infinite depth of goodness,
timelessly secure.
terrifying peace,
patiently waiting."
-William Cuik (the padouin)

"Let this be your disposition, if you wish to walk with [Christ]. Be as ready to suffer as to be glad; be as willing to be needy and poor as to enjoy wealth and plenty."
-Thomas A Kempis

"...But we have done the work and proven in every way that we can that giving people hope is the best way to avoid conflict. Giving them an investment in their lives and a chance to think of their children and give their children opportunity is the best way to stop them going out and creating conflict.

So when one talks of the issue in the Security Council of the prevention of conflict, central to that is the very simple notion of giving people work, giving them an opportunity. And so for that reason, I think this subject is really important in this body, because we're spending $900 billion on defense annually, Mr. President, and we're spending $50 billion a year, or a little more, on development. And I rather feel if we spent $900 billion on development and getting people to have jobs and go into business, we probably wouldn't need more than $50 billion for defense....

...And the main cause of conflict is lack of hope, and hope can be given by business and by jobs."

- Extracts from an address by James D. Wolfensohn: President of the World Bank speaking to the United Nations Security Council, a few weeks ago.

I'm meant to be collaborating on a short book on the subject of hope.. if anyone has any useful material please email it my way. Do you have hope? .. What is it? .. Is it hope that other people could share with you? .. Is it hope that you can spread? .. Do you know how to spread it, or want to? .. What scales does this hope work on? .. Would $900 billion give you more hope? .. How solid and real is this hope? .. Is it coherent or fragmented? .. So many many questions.