I asked the faithful light
Diu absentia … long in absence I have been. I make no apologies. It’s just a bit of life in my life. Nothing dramatic. No imprisonment, no hospitalisation nothing really to write home about. Nothing to write about. Except write I will. It’s what I do. Potted and neatly in a nutshell I have been moving rather a lot these past two months – US to England, England to France, France to England, England to France – friends and relics (stet) and Christmas with my most loved. In Grenoble a temporary tiny flatlet with a view of snow topped mountains and on February 1 moving all I own from the flat in Cantal that I persist in calling home because it’s where I feel home, to our permanent Grenoble place-until-summer. And beautiful it is. But more of that another time.
No shadows lurking in my cupboard, nothing to make me startle and stare wide-eyed in horror, just life and settling and I will give you more of it, I promise … much more.
Shadows and startling seem to be the order of things in this world just now. I rather feel that people are having to wear their most politically correct attire for dread of offending someone. Anyone! But I have always been the gal to stick her head above the trench and get it picked off by a beady eyed sniper far away out of sight on the other side of no-man’s land. So I have a commentary on the world at large. It is unhappy, it is uncomfortable and it is unpalatable for many. For many others it is hopeful because it has been increasingly uncomfortable and unpalatable these umpteen years and they desire that there will be green shoots which might give they and their loved ones a future in what has been their shiny world rusted and corroded to dust. Whether I agree or disagree with either side is neither here nor there but I give a gentle reminder that alongside it’s bolder, brasher brother ‘Greed’, that ‘Fear’ is the greatest eroder of hope, of decency, of love that we, as humans have in our armoury of weapons of mass self-destruction. Try not to be led by fear. Try instead, to be led by love. It is, after all la fête de St Valentin who was beaten, stoned and decapitated under the rule of Claudius because, put simply, he believed that young lovers should be allowed to choose to marry as Christians. Choice. That’s the thing old Valentine was about and he suffered a particularly appalling death for his conviction. In 269 AD. Please let me trust that we have evolved and progressed in almost 2,000 years. Just please.
My picture, which shows a rather perfect half (insert favourite cheese) moon, sentinel above a stone tower whose keepers can’t make their minds up whether to restore it’s authentic stone or leave it suffocated by the corset of concrete rendered upon it some aeons ago by zealous betterers, taken in the last 10 days in Gieres, a pretty commune just outside Grenoble it is offered for this week’s photo challenge captioned ‘Shadow’ (you can find the glories of the entire gallery here) – the moon’s shadow may not be apparent but it is there and, I would postulate, is not alarming at all.
PS: The title is taken from Cat Stevens’ (one of the enduring loves of my life) beautiful song ‘Moonshadow’. Here are the lyrics and, as a bonus, a lovely clip of the man who stole a little of my heart in nineteen seventy-something singing it …. give them a read if you will – if I ever lose my mouth – I won’t have to talk ….
Moonshadow
Oh, I’m bein’ followed by a moonshadow, moon shadow, moonshadow—
Leapin and hoppin’ on a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow—
And if I ever lose my hands, lose my plough, lose my land,
Oh if I ever lose my hands, Oh if I won’t have to work no more.
And if I ever lose my eyes, if my colours all run dry,
Yes if I ever lose my eyes, Oh if I won’t have to cry no more.
Oh, I’m bein’ followed by a moonshadow, moon shadow, moonshadow—
Leapin and hoppin’ on a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow—
And if I ever lose my legs, I won’t moan, and I won’t beg,
Yes if I ever lose my legs, Oh if I won’t have to walk no more.
And if I ever lose my mouth, all my teeth, north and south,
Yes if I ever lose my mouth, Oh if I won’t have to talk…
Did it take long to find me? I asked the faithful light.
Did it take long to find me? And are you gonna stay the night?
Cat Stevens
Good morning my lovely friend. Your message is timely and I hope it is read by many. Yes, we all need to lead our lives in love, not fear.♥️
Good morning to you, Bernadette … I am heartened that you enjoyed this little piece of what I hope evokes some peace. Have a lovely, lovely day – I am blessed to have you in my life x
I am also concerned that too many people are seeing only the dark sides of everything and that our politicians are stoking that image. I listen with alarms at the various speeches being made in too many countries and I can’t bring myself to believe that all is so dark. I do hope that soon people will start again to see the bright side of everything…(Suzanne)
If we cou;d only collectively turn on a bright light ….
Good to see you again, I vote to remove that horrible concrete and I too love Cat Stevens, happy St Valentine’s Day to you too 💕💐
Now why is it no surprise that you are Cat Stevens fan? It’s just a tiny piece but I believe every word which is how it should be
I was listening to Father and Son on Sunday, I always find it moving.
It’s a beautiful song. I have him on loop repeat much of the time and can allocate a song to each daughter .. Wild World for the one I just came off the phone with …..
I have a song for each of my daughters – for instance Wild World for the one I just came off the phone with has never seemed more appropriate and it was always hers
Is it Valentine’s day? I wouldn’t know..just had intensive work meeting and barely speaking to Trev so maybe I should just shut up right now and hope tomorrow is back on keel..
As for the state of the world, I agree with your sentiments. But life has always made me feel that I would be happier just to go live in a cave somewhere .
Look. I’m a bluddy hermit …has no-one cottoned on yet? I just make my comments from the darkened of my cave. My hubby is en route to Boston via Paris so Valentines is passing us by as usual. Just look after you. That is all you can do n’est pas? Xx
Sorry, I should not moan on other folk’s blogs… this gives you a free voucher to rant on mine!!i
No apology required … we are as we are and I would be a huge hypocrite if I criticised an acidic comment! you must be under immense strain at the moment – I recall my move when the Pickfords boys came and took all bar the bedding 3 weeks before I left for France and I had to keep on with my corporate job and the attendant commute to Green Park on the f’ing train with a smile on no sleep having discovered just how hard my floors actually were! NO picnic and you can be as testy as you like on here – I have nothing to give y ou but support xx
Hello dear Osyth, a very nice post on this day! Happy Valentine’s Day. Hope your days are filled with joy, happiness and good health. 🙂
Just a teeny one to get us back on track.. My days are good and filled with sweet air and for light … more importantlyI hope yours are too 🤗
Love that song.
Love Cat Stevens. Full stop!
Hi, and welcome back with this lovely post… My turn to make you smile; this morning I rescued one of our kittens who decided to go “tree hugging”… It was quite a sight!
Tree hugging kittens … this feels like the stuff of a viral website! How I wish I could be seen that feline furore …. so far up my street there IS not light! I have yours to read but it popped up just as I was starting mine (is this kismet?) so my waylaidness maybe justified!
Luckily people with a bit of backbone tend to react badly to those trying to put the frighteners on them…so, yes, there is room for hope.
My dream would be to see all politicians, their advisors and those who pull their strings being forced to go through security at American airports for an eternity, thus leaving the world free to get on with ordinary life.
Indeed. However, I am rattled by the numbers of people I THOUGHT had a backbone who infact are invertebrates. I like this idea of sending those with responsibility through US immigration – it has legs!
As far as Brexit was concerned it seemed more people had backbone than our masters thought…
I can only agree with your realisation of how little backbone exits – especially among the mouthy moral arbiters of one’s acquaintance. But then, they were always the ones sending the troops over the top from their chateaux behind the lines.
I have been relishing for some time the idea of the top lofty being destined to an eternity of never ending lines with loud mouthed guards and arbitrary arrest…oh, and no seats.
Have you seen ‘I, Daniel Blake’ – the Ken Loach film released last year … I found it, as I thought I would profoundly moving mostly on because of what you are saying – the little men you see, they had backbone last year and regardless of what I may have thought they had that right. The same goes in the US – the little guys spoke up. The lost men and women who don’t belong to a sexy minority. They spoke and the spoke with backbone and bravely. Regardless of what I may or may not think. That is the sum total of it and those of us who have been fortunate enough to be educated would do well to contemplate why. Why the little guys and girls are speaking thus. And your ideas should have legs amongst them – would. But first we have to beat back the tangled thorny forests made up of politicians forked tongues ….
No, I shall have to wait until it is available here…but I did read the reviews.
I am dismayed by the contempt with which those who supported Brexit or Trump are treated. Let those who call them by all the names under the sun start to ask themselves what was on offer from their moral high ground.
Sweet Fanny Adams for those people and for their children.
If you see yourself in front of the firing squad…for the current system offers nothing but life on sufferance for so many people – then you tend to give a shout of defiance, fruitless though it might be. You didn’t go down in silence.
I hope you will be able to see it soon. And as you know, I agree with every word you say.
Moonshadow, shades of my youth! I always did have a soft spot for Cat Stevens and that is such a beautiful song. I feel like I’ve been living in a bubble lately, quietly removed from all the fear and hysteria. Your ode to St. Valentin is all I need to feel the love on this day (my hubs is also far, and that is fine for this hermit too). Glad to see you resurfacing. xx
Hermits of the world unite! Cat Stevens (and indeed his more recent and openly Moslem incarnation Yusuf Islam is very much a part of my personal mosaic). Those that are not electing themselves experts are staying quieter and I value it the reserved hush immensely 😶🙂
It’s wonderful to “hear” your voice again, dear Osyth! 😄
I can only chime in: love Cat Stevens, love the photo – totally makes me wonder when “Rapunzel” will show up 😉 – and love that you wrote about St Valentine instead of just Valentine’s day 😄 xxxxxxxxx
Thank you Sarah! That pesky little muse of mine decided to go St V with a twist! Les tours are an obsession of mine … the inner Rapunzel which you surely share xxx
A lovely obsession indeed! 🙂 xxxxx
A timely and important message, Osyth. I agree wholeheartedly with your beautiful post. Welcome back! 🙂
Thank you for the welcome – it is welcome and thank you for your comment …. I’m glad my few words resonated – yours is a voice I value highly. 😊
That is a lovely thing to say. Thank you. The feeling is mutual. 😊
Welcome Home, in every connotation of that statement. You are your home, and your home is lovely.
Thank you Claudette …. that is a lovely thing to say 🏡 ❤️
Wonderful to enjoy your writing again!
Great piece!!
Thank you – that means a lot to me. I am delighted that you enjoyed it and, as always, your comments and the fact that you take the time to read and remark is hugely valued.
Reblogged this on On the Road Cooking and commented:
Hopeful Message For Us All
Thank you so much. I was slightly told off by another blogger the other day for suggesting that Love is the thing we need the most. But I will never give up believing it! I am flattered that you have reblogged this … again, thank you ❤️
@”long in absence I have been…” – yes and no… 😉
* * *
welcome back to your French home, jolie dame de coeur and keep on celebrating your love each and every day… <3
That’s a promise …. the celebration of love every day. And thank you for the welcome back – it is hard to explain how fortunate I feel right now …. this is a wonderful place and I remembered some of your wonderful posts from the Alpes as I was out walking on Sunday and looking down on the glorious bleu-vert water and how you had explained to me that it is natural and due to the rocks here. By the way, you are right – I’m always around and about just not necessarily blogging 😉
Good to “hear” from you again and yet more lovely words. Thank you.
Thank you …. I’m flattered that you think my words lovely!
The amount of rancour in recent times has grown to alarming levels. Sometimes I wonder if these politicians love stoking the atmosphere with division and fear. We have to struggle extra hard to live in harmony and love these days.
I wholeheartedly agree. The only way to stop fanning the flames created by politicians and the media (and the latter has enormous responsibility which I fear it does not use prudently these days) is to quietly say ‘no thank you – I am not scared, I have love in my heart’. I honestly believe that if we all did it would be an irresistible force that no scaremongers would be able to resist.
Yee Haa! A non politically correct blogger! I salute you Osyth…. Yes – let’s inspire love and hope.. I’m tired of the doom and gloom… – Oh.. and I love Cat Stevens too being a 70’s teenager myself… Welcome back Osyth… xx
Thank you Wendy! I just honestly can’t stand it – everybody wringing their hands and announcing the end of the world and those that didn’t get the result they wanted behaving like toddlers having an épi in the sweet aisle when mummy says no. My politics are my own (mostly) but I really think that we need to remember what is important and that it every single one of us can make a difference. We can either sit round grumbling or we can say enough, I’m going to spread a little warmth and happiness because I have one life and I would like it to be a life filled with love not fear of my own shadow!!! Cat Stevens was SO gorgeous ….. in addition to the wonderful library of music he gave us. Xx
Oh I absolutely couldn’t agree more Osyth! Let’s just get on with it and get on with enjoying life… it’s short! Sometimes we have to swing to extremes to end up somewhere back in the middle and whatever your politics, our lives are flashing by in the meantime.. Good on you!!! and… yep …. Cat Stevens – gorgeous!!! and his music is classic… We were so lucky to have so many great musicians in the 70’s and 80’s who’s music lives on through time… Have a wonderful day.. x
Et toi aussi …. une tres belle jour et le meilleur week-end! X
Je vous remercie et vous aussi belle dame ! x
What a wonderful, lovely message, Fiona! It filled my heart with a semblance of peace. I have hope, as you mention, there are enough who have given up and are doomsayers!
I am one who tries to stay smiling and spreading little drops of dew and light to add sparkle to the dew. There are times where it makes the time spent worthwhile, like meeting you, dear! <3 Cat Stevens was one who I loved best in the traditional, older song, "Morning Has Broken." I was blessed to see him perform, back in the day. 😉 hugs xo
Thank you – and I feel exactly the same …. meeting lovely people like you who talk of sparkling dewdrops instead of doom and gloom is the icing on the bun for me! Very jealous that you saw CS – I was a little bit in love with him as a teen. My father loved Morning has Broken and we sang it at my first wedding – he had a monumentally awful voice, like deflated bagpipes (though his speaking voice was resonant and deep and lovely) and I could hear him groaning through it but I knew he was smiling. Thank you – you have prompted a lovely memory xx
Oh my! I am going to tell you that when my first wedding occurred, (7/8/78) we had Morning Has Broken in a short repeated set played by a close male friend guitarist and his female partner singing as guests were seated in a nice old Episcopal Church. 🙂 How cool is this (another) serendipitous coincidence, Fiona! <3
I had five bridesmaids, in homemade dresses of five different colors, they carried white bouquets with daisies and miniature mums, while I had a colorful bouquet! It was to reflect the "colors" of my friendships. So corny but "me." Ha ha. Definitely, a seventies moment in time! 🙂
How wonderful that sounds. Isn’t it lovely that one can remember with such affection despite what may have happened later 😊
Moonshadow – that brought back many memories of the ‘olden days’. 🙂
Elaine, I play Cat Stevens most days and I’m sure part of that is a yearning for the girl I was then …. ‘oh very young what will you leave us this time? We’re only dancing on this earth for a short time’ and he WAS bluddy gorgeous too!!! Thank you, as ever, for stopping by and taking the time to comment x
He was rather easy on the eye, wasn’t he? 🙂
The stuff of my teenaged dreams that simply won’t leave me!
Very nice post and loved the song!
Thank you … it’s a favourite song, he remains a favourite artist and I am delighted that you enjoyed the post.
“If I ever loose my mouth, all my teeth north and south”…great song.
A favourite and I particularly like that line …. I suppose I value quiet and just get SO fed up with all the blasted experts self-elected and bombasting. I hope the sadness is ebbing slowly into its safe place for you.
No quitters here.
Strength to you for you are strong and you do not give up but a little extra boost from a friend might speed your journey.
A single tree in a storm may blow down, but a stand of trees remain.
You and I are so in sync as you know and as always your words express so perfectly how so many of us feel: “Try to be led be love” you write – “yes we can” is the response of course. Moonshadow was released in 1971 and I remember it so well. I can hear his voice as I write this to you. Warm wishes…A
Oh Andrew, it is so good to read your simple response ‘yes we can’. I just know that if people flick that little switch to turbo-love we can heal so much of what is going wrong before our very sad eyes. It is one of the joys of my life to know that your heart is beating the same rhythm as mine …. how fortuitous that day that we stumbled on one another’s blogs – one of the very fine progresses this world has made to be ABLE to find those that tick the same way and join up in some way. Cat Stevens is an evergreen favourite of mine – I decided not to stress the hidden irony that he chose to take the Moslem faith and that it is his people that are demonised so dreadfully by the scared masses …. I wish you the loveliest of weekends – I hope the skies are as blue with you as they are here in Grenoble! 😊
Thanks Osyth. wishing you a good week too. Happy to hear the skies are blue in Grenoble. They are here in Vancouver today, but even when they are grey I know the blue is always just out of sight 🙂
Such a good attitude. The sun is always there even if it chooses to rest behind the clouds for a while 🙂
Moon Shadow…Cat Stevens – I spent many a day trying to figure our how I could be his one and only….LOL….spirit sisters for sure, we are….in the words of Yoda….LOL
I knew you would be a fan of his and I particularly thought of you when I chose the song. Of course! X
I really did fantasize over him….LOL he is a beautiful human being…I like his music now as Yusuf Islam, but there was something special when he went my Cat Stevens…….know I have the wonderful song of Moon Shadow following me around in my head….thank you for that….xxxxxx
Me too – honestly …. I just thought and still do that he is the most perfectly beautiful human being. I too like his Yusuf music but my heart belongs to Cat in honesty. Moonshadow will play when we meet – it’s a certainty xxxx
My goodness, Osyth, this was a treat. I had quite forgotten my love for Cat Stevens and this was a timely reminder. So many flipping brilliant songs…Wild World seems appropriate but I’m glad you went with an anthem of hope. He is hopeful, isn’t he? It’s kind of hard to be sure.
You wouldn’t be able to forget it chez moi … not a week goes by that I don’t play one of his albums … it’s a love affair that’s been simmering since I was a gauche 15 year old and shows no signs of abating in this equally gauche 50 year old though these days I have given up hope of staring into those limpid dark eyes whilst he serenades me. Fortunately my husband loves him too (though I believe never wanted to stare into the aforementioned extremely beautiful eyes) so I am able to indulge freely and not hide him away for rainy days on my own. Wild World would have been a very appropriate track …. anyway, I’m glad – very glad actually – that you enjoyed it and of course I thank you for your kind words and taking the time to pop them on here!
Years and years ago, when programmable CD players were a thing, I had ‘Morning has Broken’ as my morning alarm. I really ought to figure out how to arrange that on my phone. It was a very good thing!! I sent Teenage, woops, I mean Grown-up Son off to investigate Cat Stevens as we, oddly enough, have much the same taste.
Funny isn’t it how our taste emerges in our children …. it means we get the best of both worlds because the stuff they introduce us to is often really really up the same alley we live in. I like the idea of Morning has Broken as an alarm …. I like it a lot 😊
The bright light’s existence was present at our birth and will continue after our death.
I perceive this light to be a choice we make very early on in our lives. We make a decision to live with the bright light or to live in the shadow of others. To live in someone’s shadow is to live in our fear, because it’s familiar with no risks. To live with the bright light is to walk through our fears with courage. To create a path for others to follow and lead.
Great post. Thank you…
Great comment …. I thank YOU! You absolutely nail what I think the choice is for us all. I hope those that have chosen to skulk in the shadows fearfully will think to step into the light and find their fears less founded than they imagine.
I do have to remind myself that what I consider to be less founded could be overwhelming for another person. In other words, to look through someone else’s eyes for an instant. ☺
Goodnight Osyth…
The most important thing is to remember that what is simple for one is not necessarily easy for another and that just because the opinion we hold is so blazingly obviously right to us, for multitudes of reasons it may hold no water for another. Tolerance is often the hardest thing to practice, particularly in times when opposing sides are divided by a seemingly uncrossable ravine. Sleep well.
You haven’t been in prison, really? Methinks the lady doth protest too much… I realized this morning that I haven’t been myself since November.
No. Not incarcerated just too much moving about and then settling in here. But I’m in one piece and smiling. November was one of those moments that people will look back at from their rocking chairs by the fire and reminisce about where they were. The stuffing was punched out of millions. I am not a naive person, far from it, but I do believe we must try to keep our faces to the light and keep the shadows behind us if we are to gather the strength to move forward in one piece. Or peace.
“Except write I will. It’s what I do.” And I am so glad you do! Thank you for your words. A gentle directness that I greatly appreciate. So many unfinished, if even begun, conversations hanging in the air these days. Perhaps a beginning is to acknowledge the fear that lives in so many of us, whether we be celebrating or mourning during these times. If only we knew how. So difficult to do when we think we have so much to lose and forget how much we have to gain!
I celebrate our shared love for the Cat. A cherished memory is seeing him live at a concert in Toronto way back when in the early 70’s. I still hear the tone of his voice.
Oh how jealous am I …. I can only imagine the joy of listening to Cat live. Thank you for your words and wisdom. Oddly the phrase ‘pussy footing’ just leapt into my head … we need to stop pussy footing and accept one another again. We should not be afraid to speak up, debate and digest the other point of view. We should not be afraid.
Thanks for stopping by my blog, for I had intended to come back to yours for more … I love people who can dig in their heels, peek a head above the trenches, and be musical in face of fear😉🙏
Very rarely I follow out of a like on a post, but this one is past due😄 Love your lilting prose and wide range of interests.
Oh gosh. You have rendered me speechless. Well nearly …. thank you so much for that lovely comment and I am very very delighted that you like my half-baked voice. Namaste to you.
Half-baked, Speechless , and Delighted: still awesome visual😉 communication.
😊
Rather belatedly, I’m catching up on my reading. Lovely words and images, as always, and spoken from your heart. A lovely post, even if your maths skills are crap 😊 xx
I got Unclassified in my maths I Level …. twice! I think this proves your point 😂xx
It sure does! So, 269AD was nearly how many years ago? 😂 xx
Um closer to double my estimate? Like exactly 1750? 😶🙃
Much closer! There’s hope yet! 😂 xx
☺ xx
XX
Thank you for linking my piece. Most kind.