The Long Walk Home

We stopped off each night in many ancient oak-beamed Sussex pubs. Hence:

“When I’m in Heaven,

Tell me there’ll be friends to meet,

In ancient oak-beamed Sussex pubs,

Enfolded by the wanton Downs,

And summer evenings lapping lazily against the shore

Of sweet familar lands

Inhabited by silences or by nonsenses,

The things you cannot safely say in any other place,

I love those times.” (Adrian Plass.)

Ok, not so much of the summer evenings over the last few days, but definitely the rest…

For much of Friday this was our view up on the downs. Weird to be in a world of such limited view and to slog onwards. And with many songs in our heads about walking on and misty mountains here’s U2 on the walking theme:

“And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it’s a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
Before the second you turn back
Oh no, be strong

You’re packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be believed
To be seen”

“Red: [narrating] I find I’m so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”

(The Shawshank Redemption, well it had the words journey and excitement in it, I’m off on a journey tomorrow morning, walking the downs for a few days, more quotes to follow when I get back)

“The Buttermere Valley is robbed of winter sunshine by a rugged mountain wall exceeding two thousand feet in height and of unusual steepness, it’s serrated skyline seeming almost to threaten the green fields and dark lake and homesteads far below it’s shadow.  No mountain range in Lakeland is more dramatically impressive than this, no other more worth climbing and exploring. Here the scenery assumes truly alpine characteristics, yet without sacrifice of the intimate charms, the romantic atmosphere, found in Lakeland and no-where else…The Buttermere side of the ridge is tremendously exciting and darkly mysterious, compelling attention.”

Wainwright on my favourite place

Lou: “Kath- what’s the best thing about being a Christian?”

Long Pause

Kath- “1. Knowing there is meaning and purpose in this fucked up world. 2. Being loved with the most stubborn, patient, crazy love in the world, just cos that is what God is like.”