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I am not on YouTube or social media
Opinion
How distant I have become
[ 3 minute read ]
It is right there beside, in front of, and behind you
Some time ago I had a brief conversation with a woman taking a photo of a tree. She seemed to like the tree; its leaves and berries. She didn't know what tree it was though. I thought it was a Rowan, and told her so. We dwelt for a moment on how distant many of us are from the knowledge that our ancestors had and lamented at the shallowness of our own existence. The sound of a Robin singing to some people brings about a feeling of hope and renewal. It has never done so for me; It seems I missed that lesson. What is most obvious is that I was not in the company of storytellers often enough to get much of an understanding about the world I live in or somehow it got bleached out or the leak that let my emotions run out has never been fixed. I forgot how to relax.
In a garden in summer.
'What are you doing, grandpa?'
'Relaxing.'
'You don't have a phone or anything. You are just sitting there in a deckchair with a handkerchief knotted at the corners on your head.'
'I am listening?'
'Oh, I've finished.'
'To the robin.'
'What robin?'
'You know the robin is on Christmas cards, but do you know why? Many people believe that when Jesus was dying on the cross a bird landed on his shoulder. It was a robin. They used to be brown all over. It sang in his ear to comfort him in his pain and its chest got stained with Christ's blood. Ever since, all male robins have red breasts. That's why they're on Christmas cards since Victorian times.'
'Okay.'
'Not impressed, huh? Alright. In Welsh folklore a robin was said to take pity on the souls in Hell and it scooped up some water in its beak and took it to the sinners in Hell to drink to offer some respite. Some people believe that it was also trying to extinguish the fires of Hell and its chest got burnt to orange. It is called Brou-Rhuddyn' or burnt-breast.
'Better.'
'In many cultures, the colour red is associated with life, vitality, and passion. So, it's red breast gives people hope and a promise of a renewal of life. The robin stays in Britain in winter and its song is sad, but when spring comes the song is livelier and this gave hope to peasant people working in the fields; it still does to many people today. It signifies rebirth and a casting off of the old. Flowers are opening in spring and food becomes more available for flying insects, which we need to help crops pollinate.'
'Bees.'
'Bees too.'
From internet sources:
'The robin’s symbolism in literature is not just limited to hope and renewal. It also represents courage, determination, and resilience. This is evident in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” where the killing of a robin is considered a sin, symbolizing the loss of innocence and the destruction of good.' (birdwatching.co.uk)
I cannot remember being taught about birds at primary school, but I did get an A+ for a mosaic type collage I did of a bird using torn up bits of newspaper. It was a great deal of fun. I actually might buy some newspapers and do it again this month, but I need black and white photographs. Are newspapers still in black and white?
spookyisles.com tells me that Rowan trees are revered in British and Irish folklore as a magical guardian against evil forces'
somegoodideas.co.uk tells me 'The Rowan is seen as the tree of protection, particularly against witches and enchantment. It is often found near stone circles and ancient burial sites.' I have seen them in a lot of churchyards. The website assumes you have given permission for who knows how many cookies and which ones.
How distant I have become
All my posts: https://learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?u=zw219551
or search for 'martin cadwell -caldwell' Take note of the position of the minus sign to eliminate caldwell returns or search for 'martin cadwell blog' in your browser.
I am not on YouTube or social media
How distant I have become
[ 3 minute read ]
It is right there beside, in front of, and behind you
Some time ago I had a brief conversation with a woman taking a photo of a tree. She seemed to like the tree; its leaves and berries. She didn't know what tree it was though. I thought it was a Rowan, and told her so. We dwelt for a moment on how distant many of us are from the knowledge that our ancestors had and lamented at the shallowness of our own existence. The sound of a Robin singing to some people brings about a feeling of hope and renewal. It has never done so for me; It seems I missed that lesson. What is most obvious is that I was not in the company of storytellers often enough to get much of an understanding about the world I live in or somehow it got bleached out or the leak that let my emotions run out has never been fixed. I forgot how to relax.
In a garden in summer.
'What are you doing, grandpa?'
'Relaxing.'
'You don't have a phone or anything. You are just sitting there in a deckchair with a handkerchief knotted at the corners on your head.'
'I am listening?'
'Oh, I've finished.'
'To the robin.'
'What robin?'
'You know the robin is on Christmas cards, but do you know why? Many people believe that when Jesus was dying on the cross a bird landed on his shoulder. It was a robin. They used to be brown all over. It sang in his ear to comfort him in his pain and its chest got stained with Christ's blood. Ever since, all male robins have red breasts. That's why they're on Christmas cards since Victorian times.'
'Okay.'
'Not impressed, huh? Alright. In Welsh folklore a robin was said to take pity on the souls in Hell and it scooped up some water in its beak and took it to the sinners in Hell to drink to offer some respite. Some people believe that it was also trying to extinguish the fires of Hell and its chest got burnt to orange. It is called Brou-Rhuddyn' or burnt-breast.
'Better.'
'In many cultures, the colour red is associated with life, vitality, and passion. So, it's red breast gives people hope and a promise of a renewal of life. The robin stays in Britain in winter and its song is sad, but when spring comes the song is livelier and this gave hope to peasant people working in the fields; it still does to many people today. It signifies rebirth and a casting off of the old. Flowers are opening in spring and food becomes more available for flying insects, which we need to help crops pollinate.'
'Bees.'
'Bees too.'
From internet sources:
'The robin’s symbolism in literature is not just limited to hope and renewal. It also represents courage, determination, and resilience. This is evident in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” where the killing of a robin is considered a sin, symbolizing the loss of innocence and the destruction of good.' (birdwatching.co.uk)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_robin
https://bird-watching.co.uk/unraveling-the-symbolism-of-robins-a-deep-dive-into-cultural-meanings/
I cannot remember being taught about birds at primary school, but I did get an A+ for a mosaic type collage I did of a bird using torn up bits of newspaper. It was a great deal of fun. I actually might buy some newspapers and do it again this month, but I need black and white photographs. Are newspapers still in black and white?
spookyisles.com tells me that Rowan trees are revered in British and Irish folklore as a magical guardian against evil forces'
somegoodideas.co.uk tells me 'The Rowan is seen as the tree of protection, particularly against witches and enchantment. It is often found near stone circles and ancient burial sites.' I have seen them in a lot of churchyards. The website assumes you have given permission for who knows how many cookies and which ones.