Reading My Way Around the World

Monday 7 November 2016

Some good news stories and songs

I've been finding it difficult to find my centre these past few months - lots of pressure coming from different angles aren't leaving me with much time for contemplation or creation, just for getting done the absolute necessities of each week.  Hence my absence from getting around to commenting on your lovely blogs or posting many of my own.
So we've taken ourselves off for a week to an artist retreat to concentrate on writing.  I'll have pictures next week.

Our world is so full of fear these days.  My thoughts go out particularly to all my American friends who have this very divisive election coming up tomorrow.  The politics of fear seems to be rife everywhere in the world at the minute.

So, not to add more to it, today I wanted to share with you some music and stories that have passed through the periphery of my vision over the past few days and have brought a smile or a tremor of joy.

Firstly this most wonderful rendition of Here Comes The Sun featuring James Taylor.  A lot of the comments to the video were castigating the changes made, but I adore it.



To my shame I didn't know who the dignitary was sitting beside Michelle Obama - so after a bit of research I found it was Yo Yo Ma, the Chinese American Cellist.   So here's a piece from him - the Prelude from Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 - this moves me to tears every time I hear it, and he plays it beautifully.



Lastly, there have been several posts on Facebook over the past few weeks, about the first person with Down's Syndrome to qualify as a pre school teacher - how absolutely wonderful.   This story comes from Argentina, and there's another one from Gaza - both young woman had so many adversities to overcome.   Surely a lesson for us all.



I hope your week is full of wonder and joy as the nights get darker and the days shorter up here in the Northern Hemisphere and as you pass into the season of sunshine and warmth down in the southern regions of this wonderful planet.

7 comments:

  1. Hi Fil - enjoy your week of peace and time to regenerate ... we need our energy. Love James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma - but those two teachers - how fantastic ... how extraordinarily clever ... congratulations to them.

    Cheers Hilary

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    1. Aren't they simply fantastic - such joy in their faces.

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  2. I hope your week off is fruitful and restorative!!! Yo Yo Ma is amazing but his facial expressions when he plays do make me laugh! How wonderful about that teacher!

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  3. Yo Yo Ma is amazing, indeed and James Taylor as well! How amazing that people started to look around and not only to their pre conceived ideas about Down syndrome, and there are now two qualified teachers! I am so glad that you mentioned two hemispheres, dear Fil. I used to do this as well. But it's amazing that, for example, a blogger in Argentina wears now a mini skirt and a tank top and comments from the US and Europe are "wow, such a nice weather!" No surprise at all, she is in Argentina! Unless she is in Ushuaia, it will be warm :) So, thumbs up again to you, dear Fil, you are truly a blessed soul, so attentive! I am under pressure too, for other reasons, I am sure, so I can understand you. I really hope that you find peace on your week off! Many hugs!
    DenisesPlanet.com

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  4. What an inspiring post, Fil.. amazing musicians and heartwarming accomplishments! Thank you for your positive thoughts. It is indeed a sobering time but it's good to redirect our focus and gain a little different perspective.

    Hugs and best wishes to you.
    Tamara

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  5. Yes we certainly do need some good news at this time so many thanks for the beautiful music to lift the soul and the smile on a teacher's face connecting with those of the children she teaches :)

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  6. I'm inspired and lightened by your post Fil. And I hope your retreat proved soul nurturing at the deepest level.

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