People use this season in a number of ways, choosing from various spiritual practices. But as, with hindsight, we follow the twists and turns of the narrative, it stands waiting for us, gaunt-eyed, there at the end of the story.Īs with the film Titanic, we know what’s going to happen, we can’t avoid it and can’t step round it… and it’s rather the same with Lent. It had not been an inevitable death, far from it. He wears two shirts today so that he does not shiver and appear afraid to the waiting crowd.Īnd then, having placed his head on the block, with one swing of the axe, he loses his head. The English monarch stands on a cold scaffold in Whitehall and it is very cold - the Thames has frozen over. So, it’s a story told with the silhouette of death on the horizon, which reaches its denouement on January 30th, 1649. The narrative focused on the final year in the life of Charles 1, the only English king to be executed. I once wrote an historical novel, ( The Soldier, the Gaoler, the Spy and her Lover) which reminds me what I appreciate about Lent. Posted by Simon Parke, 15 February 2023, 8.48am Though tomorrow, who knows?’ Share and comment (0) They say ‘Here is my heart today, the direction of my energies. I feel happier with verbs as my identity, rather than nouns they are less pompous, more fluid. Failing, the verb, is just something we do because we’re human it’s not something we are. Oh, and and failing, of course, and that’s an important verb, because I am not a failure, as the noun would have me. So what are you doing? What are your five verbs at present?įor myself, I suppose I’m running, (getting less dark and chill now) laughing, piano-ing (is that a verb?), composing (that is), doubting, writing, raging, counselling (which includes listening, but which is bigger than listening), organising (I have a small business to oversee), delighting (in creation) and wondering…always wondering, because I have no sense of anything beyond tomorrow. I replaced it with a verb, ‘stepping out’ and went to work in a supermarket. So when, twenty years ago, I let go of the ‘vicar’ noun, it was fine. Verbs describe our direction rather than our identity. His heart was still pointing in that direction. So, for our actor friend, we felt ‘acting’ was more helpful than ‘actor’, because he was still sending in audition tapes, whether he was getting the jobs or not. But, in this territory, I prefer verbs to nouns – words which describe what we’re doing rather than what we are. I don’t know what labels you attach to yourself when describing your identity perhaps you resist the temptation. ‘Who am I now? I have always been a “mother”.’ Or a mother traumatised by her child leaving home, going to uni. They have lost the ‘consultant’ noun and it was one they rather liked. I have known consultants cry when, in retirement. Many of us have felt this on giving up a role which has become an important part of our identity. After all, I’m not acting – so what does ‘actor’ mean? And I am aware,’ he added, ‘there are people out there with worse things to face than my coffee shop existential crisis!’īut with acting jobs rare, and deprived of contact with the theatre community (even auditions were virtual), actors could easily feel isolated, de-skilled and foolish and they are not alone. ‘I’ve got too much time to think,’ he said, ‘but honestly, I don’t know what the word actor means any more. Posted by Simon Parke, 21 February 2023, 12.54pm
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