Puck of Pook's Hill

Roger seems to be continuing his travels successfully, spanning continents, and I have posted a package off to him that he will pick up en route to the airport for his return flight, containing a letter for Bruce, and a card for Anne.

Col brought me Puck of Pook's Hill from the book exchange. I always hand over two for the one I take, as I am trying to shrink my bookshelves back to manageable proportions.  We only have a two bed flat.

I have never read it before, but I can see from the first chapter that it is going to teach me a lot about the history of Sussex.  It is a charming County, and the photo above is of a Sussex sunrise seen from our balcony.  The book contains some poems I have loved since childhood. 

There is this one for example:

Cities and Thrones and Powers

Rudyard Kipling

Cities and Thrones and Powers 

Stand in Time's eye, 

Almost as long as flowers, 

Which daily die: 

But, as new buds put forth

To glad new men,

Out of the spent and unconsidered Earth,

The Cities rise again. 

This season's Daffodil,

She never hears 

What change, what chance, what chill,

Cut down last year's;

But with bold countenance, 

And knowledge small,

Esteems her seven days continuance

To be perpetual.

So Time that is o'er-kind

To all that be,

Ordains us e'en as blind,

As bold as she: 

That in our very death,

 And burial sure, Shadow to shadow, well persuaded, saith,

 "See how our works endure!"

https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_cities.htm

Yes. That is such a good reminder that in Jehovah's eyes human history has lasted only a few days. We have not really even got started yet.  Our lives are so short now. And the meeting on Thursday night reminded us of this - that in God's eyes only six days have gone by since the loss of Eden.

Ever since then we have been living during the times during which "man has dominated man to his harm".  In shining contrast, Jehovah’s way of ruling is neither oppressive nor rigid. It allows for freedom and promotes joy.

Now Jehovah is the Spirit and where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom. - 2 Corinthians 3:17

And living as a subject of the Kingdom of God, even now, in these difficult circumstances, I know that to be true.

While I don't always feel joyful  - not about the state of the world nor the state of my health - I do feel very grateful to be alive, and to have the hope of living forever on this lovely planet.

And Sunday morning's talk at the Hall was about the resurrection.  It makes me so happy to think that I may see my parents again if and when Jehovah wakes us from the dreamless sleep of death. That is one of the many joys Jehovah gives, right now, to all who serve him.