Lessons in love encountered yesterday…
Charles Darwin sailed round the world. After five years making discoveries, formulating scientific theories, he returned to England. In 1839 he married Emma Wedgewood, daughter of Josiah Wedgewood, the famous potter, entrepreneur, abolitionist.
Charles of Emma: ‘I can declare that in my whole life I have not heard her utter one word which I had rather need unsaid.’
Emma of Charles: ‘…the most open, transparent man I ever saw… particularly affectionate and very nice to his father and sisters, and perfectly sweet tempered, and possesses… qualities that add particularly to one’s happiness…’
Musing… a good, loving marriage?
Red Oak Primary School Facebook: ‘Year 5 children immersed themselves in one of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedies about the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet when they became storytellers for the morning…’
Pictures of Grandson-Luca and other youngsters engaged and focused… The love story… idealism, love, marriage, conflict, death…
Musing… what 10-year-olds make of love that leads to tragedy… how many will experience it in their life… how many have experienced it already…
The Bible story of Hosea: Hosea’s told by his God to marry Gomer, a prostitute. They marry and have children. Gamer leaves Hosea and returns to prostitution. Hosea finds Gomer, takes her back into his home, forgives her…
I wondered what sort of home theirs was… the effect it had on their children… where Hosea’s God fitted into it all.
Musing… friends who’ve been through complicated messy, marriages… some retrieved, some broken… the scars left on parents and children… where is God?
Henri Nouwen’s ‘The Return of the Prodigal Son’ – reflecting on Rembrandt’s painting… the Father giving love… the son receiving love… concluding:
‘It is the place that confronts me with the fact that truly accepting love, forgiveness and healing is often much harder than giving it. It’s the place beyond earning and deserving and rewarding. It’s the place of surrender and complete trust.’
Musing… I’m with Henri. Receiving love is harder than giving it.
malcolmsmusings.org 