Antidote

I took up the offer of being prayed for in the street in Wallingford today. It took me a little while to work out that I had a problem I could offer. Then I beetled through the rain to see if the people had closed for the day. Not quite... It was good to stand there in a little circle and share my issue, then be prayed for. I had a big smile on my face.

1 Min - Special

This is just the right topic for today. I have just been on facebook and found a link to a retreat organised specially for war photographers. Why is it that we need beauty and order even in our photos of war? Is it that the photographer's eye finds some visual meaning and balance in a situation we would be scared by? It is a vocation to be a witness to whatever happens next.

1 Min - Priorities

This makes me think of Come Dine With Me, some people plan an entertainment or game as a focus for the evening and some people are concerned with the details on the table and their make up.

Can you tell one of our priorities is watching this wonderful programme from the beginning each time, so as not to miss a word?

1 Min - Fire

Every few years my big focus changes. Just now I'm all fired up over Bahrain in particular and human rights in general. First it was breastfeeding, then I moved on to home education and autism. I haven't yet acquired the heap of books which have come along with each passion. This firing up is all internet based.

1 Min - Early, late or on time?

I used to be late for everything, even once I was at work. I wanted to be welcomed into the office if I came in before 9am, but there was no chat or friendliness as far as I could perceive if I did.

I decided to get to places before the set time when my children were roughly mid/late primary school age. I worked out that in order to chat to other parents and also give my full attention to my children when they came out of the building I would have to be there early. It works really well and I still enjoy pre-event chat times now.

What does it say about me? That I don't pick up on these things intuitively, I have to work it out intellectually or find it out by reading an explanation by someone kind enough to put it clearly.

1 Min - Trash/Treasure

It's odd that 99% of the items in my house I am still giving space to are things I deep down just want to get rid of. I love the way the cat from next door has no possessions at all, just her body, mind and soul, all wrapped up in one. When did we humans start to drown in stuff?

1 Min - Judge

I am putting a lot of links about Bahrain, Libya and other political issues on Facebook at the moment. I am making a judgement that the people who dislike this will 'hide' me and one or two will read the links.

1 Min - Fail

When I took my driving test I knew that if I failed it I wouldn't be able to afford more lessons. I was so very pleased when I passed!

Ring

The ringing of church bells after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. I used to hope and hope it wouldn't wake up the children just when I needed to put the stockings in their rooms.....tip toe, creak, tip toe, creak!!

Relief

I felt gradual relief as news came through bit by bit that Iman Al Obeidi was still alive in Libya.

Summit

I don't feel the need to get to the summit of a hill. I prefer to get to a sheltered, comfortable spot where I can feel the breeze, the hot sun and read my book in peace!

1 Min - Animal

When I look at animals or birds I try to appreciate their seeming ability to enjoy the sunshine and to do the work they need to do. A blackbird and I looked at each other this morning. She had a worm in her mouth, but she took a moment to stand still and look back at me also standing still.

Part 2

Actually the first thing I thought of when I saw the word animal was that logo in a special font which is on the back of 4 x 4 cars and clothing. I have absolutely no idea of what it connects to and it is refreshing to be utterly disconnected from something's meaning. A bit like looking at Arabic, I see it, but I get none of it!

1 Min - Wierd

I always misread that word as 'wired', perhaps because we used to have a lot of wires and cables in this house.

I Min - Crash

All I remember is snapshots from one second apart and the happy feeling of knowing the car was not going down the slope towards the motorway. We stopped on the grass in the middle of the roundabout.

1 Min - Ask

I think of those phone calls from doctors and others, asking, begging for help. Listening to the news at night, learning what those voices sound like.

1 Min - Move

Move house, move my furniture, move like in 5R or CI, move mountains!!

1 Min - Harder/Easier

I think this is about fighting something or accepting how it is and doing something about it minus the 'it shouldn't be like this' thoughts. Zen-ish approach.

1 Min - Problem

Eeek...I solved a big problem by altering my desk heaps. Now my top priority heap concerns money. That's it!