The sky is filled with jet streams again, and as I write, I can hear the distant roar of an aeroplane (listen carefully, here comes another one). I loved the silence when the skies were emptied, jets grounded by invisible dust; and the sounds that emerged out of that silence, a blackbird singing in my garden, the chatter of starlings in the park.
But now the skywriting has returned, I am reminded of all the times that I saw magic within it; as a child, trying to decipher the patterns above me; as an adult, yet childlike again, seeing messages from my sister, after she had gone from this earth.
I still see heaven in the sky; as we always do, as we always did. No matter that the jet-streams are man-made, there are moments when they seem suggestive of something beyond us, or perhaps simply of our longing for what might be there.
Not that anything could compare to the untouched sky, and what it speaks of...
So will I build my altar in the fields,
And the blue sky my fretted dome shall be,
And the sweet fragrance that the wild flower yields
Shall be the incense I will yield to thee.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
13 comments:
All I can say is, :)
Thank you for that.
You have said so eloquently what I felt when the first jets started flying again. Although we know what they are doing to the earth in terms of damage and degradation, there is something very reassuring about their return to the skies.
Sarah Standalone captures my thoughts - it is reassuring that all is back to normal, friends are returning etc. However it was lovely during the lull. We are on the flight path into Heathrow about 25 miles out and the jets are quite high stacking, then peeling off as they are called in. It was peaceful, though eerie.
I know that the skies are meant to be quiet but having family here who needed to get back home has made me very stressed. They left today after a 10 day wait. I found the whole thing rather apocalyptical. It was like a message from somewhere ………….
Dear Justine,
I have just read your blog and I thought you should know, if you didn't already, that a memorial service is being held to celebrate Paul Eddy’s life on Friday 28th May at 11.30am at Christ Church, Spitalfields, London E1.
The church will also be the venue for drinks and light food after the service.
Rather than give you directions here, please go to www.ccspitalfields.org which has a map showing the location of the church. For full directions go to www.spitalfieldsvenue.org and click on the Location box.
Because Christ Church is not a fixed-pew church, the Rector would like to know who will be attending so his colleagues can organise the seating.
If you are able to come Sara Walden would appreciate it is you could please let her know. Sara's email is mail@sarawalden.com (mine is roger@abstractassociates.co.uk)
Sara would also be very grateful if you could share this with anyone you think should be included.
Saw you on The Delicious Miss Dahl last night, loved your jacket and fab shade of lippy.
Hi Justine,
Nice to see you are enjoying once more, the skywriting and 'jet clouds' :~)
I was back in Wales whilst you were writing your blog - looking at a university for my youngest (nooo, he's not old enough to leave the nest LOL). It has all changed so much that I barely recognise the place :(
Will be thinking of you next Monday and sending love as always. Hoping you are well.
x Donna x
Justine, as promised, a garden: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kairuy/4561916125/
(This comes from a palace garden inside the Amber Fort, in the hills above Jaipur, and the air was scented with jasmine).
And here is another garden: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kairuy/4561969515/ which needs no introduction or explanation.
''And on a better day...skywriting.''
The Bible (1988)
As a student at St Andrews, May day was celebrated with an early morning swim.One year, I snapped a photo of a friend standing on the rocks, gazing out at the grey north sea; he died a year ago.Like your sister, far too early but as you say in today's Times I'm glad to be here. Our Scottish cherry tree is about to blossom, summer is coming.
Thanks, everyone, for the messages and comments -- and for the pictures from Kairu. Seems a long time since the skies were empty of jet streams.
Hi Justine, I visited Fowey at the weekend and bought 'Daphne' from a wonderful bookshop called 'Bookends Too', and the kind and helpful gentleman called David who served me, happily showed me where he was mentioned in the acknowledgements of the book - brilliant! Can't wait to start it. All the best, Karen.
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