Calm in the Storm

above: the canals of Bruges

The media headlines are not very reassuring at the moment. If they are to be believed, the world is spiralling towards a crisis of climate change, wars, global economic meltdown and food shortages. But it strikes me that this crisis is being made a great deal worse by the atmosphere of panic that is radiating around. We have got to stay calm and keep our heads, do everything we can to avert crisis and ultimately pray. The old adage, 'Pray as if everything depends on God, act as if everything depends on you,' still applies. I suggest that anyone affected by said media panic heads off to Bruges (by environmentally friendly Eurostar, of course), or at the very least watches In Bruges the movie. You could also lie down and listen to the Now Show (which thank heavens is available as a podcast via iTunes) and wait till the feeling goes away, because that might be our best chance of making everything work out alright. Because God is bigger than all our problems, and well able to quiet the storm if we ask Him.



above: child playing in the playground where Colin Farrell has his moment of revelation in the film, 'In Bruges'.

I should also like to point out that fond as I am of the British broadcasting service you should never believe what you hear on the BBC. That especially goes for the weather reports, which today predicted terrible storms. My son's grandmother cancelled her day out with him. Which is a pity, because it has been sunny most of the afternoon, and there is still no sign of any storm. There you see? It's a metaphor - it's probably all fine really, just a bit of media exaggeration...



above: Bruges in spring

Here's what I wrote about Bruges for The Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/europe/belgium/1586373/In-Bruges%2C-with-chocolate-and-Colin-Farrell.html



above: one of the famous Bruges swans

the art of weather

Library of Water (Vatnasafn) is an art installation in the town of Stykkisholmur on the western coast of Iceland. It is an observatory style room in the former library where constellations of glacial water from Iceland's glaciers fill glass columns. Natural light refracts through the columns to create a kind of lighthouse where the light plays with words inscribed on the floor that describe the state of the weather or the mood of the viewer. Through the columns watery visions of the town outside can be seen. It is a brilliant fusion of environment, art and community; both an art installation and a space for community reflection and activity from writers' readings to yoga classes.

The installation's catchphrase 'You are the weather' is more alarmingly true than it first seems. It was reported in the media recently that it really does rain more at weekends, because all the pollution builds up during the week and brings a downpour on Sunday. Our polluting lifestyles that cause the bad weather. And Our Lady of Knock is reported to have told the Irish, among other things, that if they prayed more the weather would improve.