David Goodman

Thrived we shall, at World Cup moments, when we were set alight to witness miraculous and be part of massive tribe, in presence of sacred. 7/12/22

Striking a right balance between information overload and complete ostrich behaviour, knowing where and when to find out more is the key. 14/11/22

Having long for a new world when Covid would stop dominating our lives. Many of us still anxiously anticipating a better world, it all around looks bleak and empty, whether it's the war in Ukraine, global food shortages, threats to democracy, the impact of global warming, as if to emphasis that the victory day parades taking place across Russian today.

It's been a long dark winter, and whatever the joy this spring brings is bountiful and unbounded. April in Scotland has come with beautiful warmer days, and the characteristic signs of Spring, the first smell of freshly cut grass, and field full with snowdrops, primroses, daffodils, and even bluebells. They could hardly fail to lift the spirit. And for so many of us, our spirit need lifting.

Last night marked the beginning of Jewish festival of Passover, which recall the saving of Jewish people from Egypt, which was to have all Jewish subjects killed. We celebrate by dressing up reading the book of Esther, making loud disapproving noises to blot out Haman's name every time it's mentioned. No guess whose name should be substituted for Haman today.

Over the last two years, since the pandemic drastically restricted our movement and social interactions, religious community everywhere have struggle to consistently carry out in-person services. Besides offering a glimpse of divine truth into the big existential questions, for many of us, religion provide set of rules to led by, and support in times of need.

This week storm Arwen has wrecked havoc for the length and breadth east-coast of the country, which let thousands homes without electricity, gas, or in some cases, water. Being out of electricity for almost 24 hours, which in our case, left us freezing cold with no means of cooking, or even making a cup of tea, was a solitary reminder of our dependency on the public infrastructure that works day and night to maintain our basic life style.

This week marks 700 anniversary of the death of Italy's most famous poet philosopher, Dante Alighieri, who died in excel from his own hometown Florence, his most famous work the Divine Comedy tells of an imaginary journey in the hereafter, from the horrors of the inferno through realms of purgatory, eventually reach the blissful splendours of paradise. Along the way, the stories he relates encompass all earthly activities, from political corruptions and other evils, to the pursuit if love, both human and divine. In essence, it's a treaty of medieval Christian believe on after-life. On the consequences of sin, the purity of god's unconditional love for mankind.

Over last few months the world's imagination has been captivated by report from China of 300 miles trip by a herd of Asian elephant, from their natural habitat to a residential area close to one of China's major cities. The journey which starts 17 month ago included a 5 month sojourn after one of the female elephant give birth. Like an army of old marching on foot, the elephants have wrecked havoc in villages in countryside as they pass through in order to satisfy their hunger and thirst. More recently, the authority have been carefully monitor the herd progress to help on their way and safeguard local populations. But this week's news is that the elephants have decided to go home. Some experts has speculated that the elephants touristic excursion was triggered by large scale human engineering developments, which together with dramatic shrinkage in size of their habitat has exacerbated disappearance of traditional buffer zones between humans and elephants, not for the first time,

Last night we arrive back home after spending a week in Paris, Audrey Hepburn once said, Paris is always a good idea. and so it was, not least because it gives us precious privilege to be with our daughter who we haven't seen for almost a year. To be able to spend time with loved one after an enforced period of separation is an indescribable emotion of joy and relief. Over the last 18 months, so many people have been rob that opportunity, at critical, or important, tragical, as well as happy moments in their lives with those family and friends. In too many cases, suffering loss of human contact has been traumatic.

One often overlooked aspect of social distancing is at our habitual predilection to have a quiet word or two at someone else's ear, has in last 14 months been severely inhibited. Whether it's a piece of advice, warning, or a story about another person, it can only be repeated in hash terms, we've have to find other ways of communicating what we are transmitting in confidence. Bearing our finest inner thoughts, wherein the majority of cases no malice forethoughts, in other words, gossiping. One of many reasons we go to cafes, pubs, gatherings, generally, is to mingle with others, and hear that chant.

What a time to be here, as spring emerges from dark shadow of winter, and nature explodes into life with colour and vibrancy, we're blessed with reopening this week, of our favourite garden centres and nurseries, not only that, but hairdressers and barbers again are able to give us professional grooming some of us desperately need. Rarely have I so look forward to a haircut.

Free man after 44 years spent almost solitary confinement, his experiences tested his mental fortitude almost beyond human endurance. He had to dig deep into reserves of compassion and resilience, he never knew he had, and forced him to learn how to live the absence of human touch.