Post by Katy JennisonLammas (or, as it might be, Imbolc) greetings!
Here the corn (wheat) has suddenly gone golden, despite the cold and wet
we've been having in England for what seems like months. The haymaking
had one glorious sunny week in which to happen.
Enjoy your harvest, whatever it is. (Or your seed-sowing.)
Imbolc passed unnoticed here, because I forgot to observe *Imbolc*. But
I can't help but notice that it is *SPRING* here, with the deciduous
trees blooming and sprouting, the bees quite audibly buzzing around the
spring flowers, and the Winds starting up. We've already had a few
exceptionally warm days, but this is what the season of Imbolc-Oestara
is like here: very variable and a lot blowy. Sometimes most decidedly
summer, some days a return to a "bitter" winter ("bitter" being
relative, of course), and sometimes that change happening in a day, as
it did today.
The seeds of unrest and upheaval are being sown at work. Things are
looking pretty grim for the Aussie steel industry and I found myself
with too much experience in a very narrow field to shift to somewhere
else without a huge cut in income and re-starting at the bottom (which
was fine if I was still young and single, but I'm not). If "reskilling",
as its politely euphamised, was forced upon me, I would of course find a
way through, but at the moment its just a matter of hanging on and
hoping fervently that things will work out for the best, whatever that
'best' turns out to be. We are reminded quite regularly "think yourself
lucky you still have a job". Well yes, I am not ungrateful when I see
the suffering of others, but still know that things were in a much
better place, work wise, 5 years ago.
Spiritually, I find myself worshipping in a Catholic church (long
story). The irony of this is not lost on me. But the odd thing is, most
of the ritual and symbolism of Catholicism I can understand, at least to
some degree, because of Paganism. The biggest factor, though, is that
the local priest is a decent, compassionate guy with a really big heart
and a great sense of humour. He has welcomed me despite knowing I am not
Catholic and have no wish to be. We have an Understanding. Which
confuses the life out of locum priests when they have to fill in, but
whilst that particular bloke is the parish priest, I'll continue to go
there, and politely ignore the bits that I just can't go along with.
Be Blessed,
Yowie