The Cat's Mieow !!!

This will be one of my rare open unlocked entries as I feel it is an important subject to share.

I was walking home from work tonight and my local supermarket had a sign up saying it would be open on Easter Sunday. I was somewhat stunned and surprised. Surely Easter Sunday should be a day when everything remains shut?! Those who know me well will know I am a very spiritual person and I do have my personal beliefs. I also recognise and respect there are those with other faiths who don't celebrate Easter which is fine, I have no problem with that. But I do feel it is offensive to those who DO celebrate Easter to have businesses open on a Sunday. Surely the nation can survive one day! I remember when I was growing up it was uncommon to find shops open on Sundays and one had to wait till Monday if you needed to get something. So of course the trick was to plan ahead and have enough food and supplies to see you through the weekend. I can appreciate that times have changed with regards to working patterns and that there IS a need for shops to be open on a Sunday as people work shifts etc. BUT BUT BUT!!!! I just feel it is wrong that on Easter Sunday and come to think of it Christmas Day, shops and businesses are open.

I dunno. Is it just me? Am I being unreasonable in my thought processes here? To my mind it just does not feel right somehow. I think if you are going to follow a faith then you should abide by the rules of that faith. I am not affiliated to any particular faith but I do have my leanings and am not quite sure which road to go down. Eventually I shall get things sorted out and join the "club" of the faith I eventually decide to join. But I did at least attend Sunday School. I got thrown out as I asked too many difficult questions and the teachers could not cope with my in depth questions!!! In fact I am amused when looking back at my ancient school reports that I still questioned a lot of things in my R E studies and one report noted that I was asking deeply difficult questions. Another said that I should be focusing "a little closer to home" and not so much on expressing interest in other faiths!!! In today's world that comment would never have been allowed to be made!!

Anyway all thoughts most welcomed!!

I am thinking of all of those who died during the Holocaust today. I hope the article I wrote for work about the Holocaust last week, helps in a small way to honour and remember all those who died. It was published today and can be read by everyone who works with my employer.





Never Forget. Always Remember.

I am extremely upset. I have just been reading up on all the events in Syria as I am so very concerned that this will lead to WW3. However I was in tears over this particular story

http://news.sky.com/story/1136680/syria-refugees-have-little-hope-of-going-home

It is bad enough losing your home and everything you valued so much. But to flee a war and in doing so lose your hearing aid is just doubly horrendous. I broke down in tears reading this story. I know exactly what it is like not to have your hearing aid. I wear hearing aids myself and I also fear how I would cope if I lost mine. Sure I could get mine replaced in oh a week tops. A week is bad enough. I would have to take a week off work as I could simply not interact at work. But this boy will be without his for I would say several months at least unless his story prompts swift action to help him.

If I had the money I would pay for the boy to have replacement hearing aids at once. But I don't. Instead I hope that my monthly donations to the Red Cross and the UN will help fund the cost of helping children like this boy.

I don't think I can write anymore. I am just too disgusted and upset at the moment.

Making this post public as I did my last post on Syria as this is too important an issue not to share.

I am making this entry public as I feel it is an important point that I want to share with all who are interested.

During my summer break I went to a cathedral which is one very close to my heart as I have been going there since my childhood and even got permission as a child to do some brass rubbings there which I had to get permission from the Archbishop himself to do. He was rather impressed with my work too. Nowadays one is not allowed to even do that. So it was an honour to have been able to do that.

Anyway I often go there to pray, light some candles for family and friends, and meditate. It is my spiritual sanctuary. I like the idea of being able to leave messages as well. I often write letters addressed to God. It is my way of getting closer to the Creator. And now knowing what I have learnt and been told, it would not surprise me if those you loved so very much who are no longer here are looking over your shoulder as you write. I find that to be of immense comfort and the knowledge I have learnt recently has given me the piece of mind I have been seeking certaintly since 2002 but I have been seeking truths since I was a child.

So you see when I go to a place of worship it is to pray and not treat the place as a tourist attraction, which I find obscene. For the best part of a decade, probably more, my cathedral has been charging people to go in. I have never paid a penny. Why? Because I argued that I was there to pray and since when did the Almighty introduce Pray As You Go?!! I also put to them that a bloke 2,000 years ago turned over chairs and tables for such behaviour. They knew I was right and never contested this.

However to my great surprise and pleasure this summer holiday I was visiting the cathedral with a friend who unfortunately is seriously ill at the moment. I knew on this visit it would for once not be a full prayer visit, as I tend to do that alone as I feel it is a very private thing to do. So I was dreading the prospect of having to pay. But I discovered they no longer charge! I wonder what brought about this change in policy? The one I had fought all this time? I did get to light a few candles in the end and a quick note whilst my friend was in the chapel part of the cathedral. I'll go again in August when I shall spend time to myself and do a proper visit. I might even take another look at the Chapter House as I felt uneasy there and discovered a priest was buried underneath the Chapter House. Last time I had that sensation was when I visited an old house in Cornwall and I asked if it was haunted and I told yes it was by a surprised curator as it was not public knowledge.

Getting back to the point of this post however, I think it is important that in a place of worship once does not force charges on those going there. They are places of worship not museums. I will happily pay to visit the National Gallery or Science Museum in London for example, but I don't think it should be forced for visiting a cathedral or church etc. Voluntary donations sure. I have no problem with that.

I am sure in the Bible it was written that when Jesus ascended He said he would be among us always. I like to think that means that He would be here right now mingling with everyone, having a cup of coffee in Starbucks or something, visiting all sorts of places and so on. I would not mind having that cup of coffee with Him as I have so many questions to ask! Being a writer and full of imagination I could not help but muse the notion that He has visited my cathedral incognito. I wonder what He would have made of the charging regime! I realise there are very high maintenance costs in running these places and fundraising events do take place up and down the country to repair the church roof for example, but really come on, the Church is steeped in money, surely they can apply for a grant of money from the Church admin offices. The Vatican is rolling around in funds, that quite frankly just a small share of that fortune would eliminate world poverty overnight.

Well I have said my bit now. I just had to share my thoughts on what I think is an important topic. I hope you found it of interest.

I have been thinking about things today in relation to International Holocaust Day and I decided to write a short article for a work newsletter in rememberance of all those who died in the Holocaust. I have taken care to mention quite a few of the concentration camps as well.  Of course although I am editor of the Newsletter it will have to be sanctioned and approved by my boss. But I have written it so that it should pass the work censor. I will be furious if they object to it. There is so much ignorance at work.  I think it is imperative that we do rememeber what happened. I am no expert. I am very much learning all about world war two this year. But at least in my own small way, if I can reach out to others via the work newsletter that this must never be forgotten then I shall feel at least I have done something. Not much I know, and far far too little. But I think it is important we should ALL remember.

                                                    

I am away on holiday from tomorrow and shall not be back online for a fortnight. I shall of course be thinking of all things Sherlock Holmes and as always will take my Moleskine book for jotting down any  ideas and thoughts that comes to mind ! Dr Watson I hope would approve! :)