My friend Des works hard to make our Seagull Theatre work smoothly. He often tells me about the latest projects he’s working on, the grants he’s applying for, his ideas and plans for the future. At the end of our conversation, he’ll often say, ‘Onwards and upwards.’
Yesterday we disposed of some old sofas. We carried them to the front of the house. A couple of young men arrived, carried the sofas to their van, lifted them on to a trailer, and drove off. Onwards, upwards… and onwards.
Several cats often enter our garden. The most frequent visitor, a grey cat with white paws from ‘Number 1’, sits our flower beds, looks at the fish in the pond, chases the pigeons, climbs our apple tree, looks for opportunities. She’s often onwards and upwards.
Although I don’t think Des is thinking of sofas or cats. His ‘onwards and upwards’ is an encouragement to move forward, to press on to better things. There may be some getting rid of the old, or looking for opportunities in the present, but it’s about a positive future.
Earlier this week I read ‘The Seagull Theatre – Meet our Beauty and the Beast Junior Cast! They have spent the last two months singing and dancing, and cannot wait to perform to their audiences next month!’ Des would certainly say, ‘Onwards and Upwards’ to that!
Mr Google says that the phrase ‘onwards and upwards’ became popular in Victorian times. ‘Onward’ was about progress, material success; ‘upward’ was about moral and spiritual improvement. It was a two-word sermon.
A few gents at Men’s Shed refurbished a memorial bench for the Pakefield Cliffs. A picture was accompanied by ‘Thanks to the Reverend Sharon Lord for her blessing and to Trevor and Little Bob from the Lowestoft Men’s Shed for their excellent refurbishment of the bench…’
Refurbishment… getting rid of the old… present opportunities… on the cliffs… onwards… the bench’s future use… children performing well… upwards… children improved by working together… God’s blessing… on the bench… and us.
