“We are not machines. We are human beings.” Glad to hear it! Can you rewrite Chapter 6 of 12 Bytes now please? I have really been struggling to reconcile what you are writing and have written in the past with the conclusion in that chapter (your conclusion being that humans have so destroyed this world that our best hope is AI). It literally made my head spin to read that. I’m sincerely confused. Help me understand? I am asking with the greatest respect and much love and care in my heart 🧡
I am a dreamer woman we always have to dream, always…. Always..
Then I don't waste time, today night , after reading and playing for a while with Cosme my cat, well sometimes I call him Mimi, especially when I feel affectionate with him.
I also have a stage that I like to make others happy, as you say very good for my psyche. With Emilio, my friend of a year and a half, He usually said me Ana come, come and we start walk through the park and he greets everyone sitting on a bench. If they are older people I usually stop on purpose for Emilio to say hello to them and we can have a moment to chat. Emilio manages to get a spontaneous smile out of them. These are moments of happiness for all. He also greets the pretty girls, another added pleasure for me. Jiji
"the defiance of light against darkness" is a beautiful phrase, and so apt in this case.
In my early twenties, I roomed with a person who used to burn beeswax candles on the night of the winter solstice, the explanation being that the sun needed our help, lest it forever be extinguished. Such is the power of all our individual lights, of our individual wills, that we can call back the sun. Our individual actions, channeled through rituals, are powerful. And yes, science explains it somewhat differently. I don't contest that. The parameters differ is all.
Thank you as always, for your beautiful writing and thought.
Loved this feature. Esp as I’m in California just now and was wondering what GH day was about. I have your angel too, the one on the left. Mine said it was a copy of the roof angels at Blythborough church in Suffolk. Sadly my poor angel has no hands because my naughty cat, Fezziwig, has chewed them off …
Candlemas is a wonderful time and I have a candle which I light in the evening because it feels like I'm spiritually linked with my sister who is struggling atm. Thank you for this, it's completely what I need to be doing; keeping me strong and nourished spiritually too. I will light a candle for me too so can dream and sleep better.
Another great substack! - thanks JW - and love your reading room, very cosy : )
I really like the name "Candlemas", it sounds warm + inviting, ancient + solid, especially now when the world + life seems to be in so much turmoil. Not so keen on all the Christian overlays that were most likely deliberate attempts to bury deeper meanings. I'd rather harken back those pagan beliefs that connected with nature + the passage of time (but not the associated sacrifices...!)
And you're right about making time for reflection. It's so easy to fill your head with distractions, let the day run away, and perhaps find reasons to run away from your own fears, gnawing away at that knot in your stomach. Yes candles are a great idea, if they're safe (don't burn your house down!) and you don't have allergies, I do unfortunately (so maybe a salt lamp...) Early man of course would have had camp fires, which would be perfect...
So only 6 weeks left before spring - no wonder those snowdrops are coming out : )
There's something in a candle remindful of silence - like snow does or the bottom of the sea. It may sound as a sort of paradox saying that, because fire is a source of warmth and snow or the bottom of the sea are cold. Nevertheless, the quality of stillness is there in the three of them. Your comment, "No-one can manage more than 6 weeks without a PARTY" made me laugh out loud. Yes, I like celebrations too, not just the ones already existent, but the ones I create myself depending of my mood. Firelights, reflections, celebrations - such treasures to enjoy and be grateful for...
A wonderful reminder, the candles, the time in and with the dark (still 6 weels left, no use rushing to make grand plans yet) and the welcome to friends. I will build more ritusl into my days and weeks. I like these connections to these points in our year, as you say its been done for us, we can tune into these rhythms and make sure to celebrate.
I had thought Michealmas was on 29th of September, as its my birthday. Have I had it wrong?
“We are not machines. We are human beings.” Glad to hear it! Can you rewrite Chapter 6 of 12 Bytes now please? I have really been struggling to reconcile what you are writing and have written in the past with the conclusion in that chapter (your conclusion being that humans have so destroyed this world that our best hope is AI). It literally made my head spin to read that. I’m sincerely confused. Help me understand? I am asking with the greatest respect and much love and care in my heart 🧡
I am a dreamer woman we always have to dream, always…. Always..
Then I don't waste time, today night , after reading and playing for a while with Cosme my cat, well sometimes I call him Mimi, especially when I feel affectionate with him.
I also have a stage that I like to make others happy, as you say very good for my psyche. With Emilio, my friend of a year and a half, He usually said me Ana come, come and we start walk through the park and he greets everyone sitting on a bench. If they are older people I usually stop on purpose for Emilio to say hello to them and we can have a moment to chat. Emilio manages to get a spontaneous smile out of them. These are moments of happiness for all. He also greets the pretty girls, another added pleasure for me. Jiji
"the defiance of light against darkness" is a beautiful phrase, and so apt in this case.
In my early twenties, I roomed with a person who used to burn beeswax candles on the night of the winter solstice, the explanation being that the sun needed our help, lest it forever be extinguished. Such is the power of all our individual lights, of our individual wills, that we can call back the sun. Our individual actions, channeled through rituals, are powerful. And yes, science explains it somewhat differently. I don't contest that. The parameters differ is all.
Thank you as always, for your beautiful writing and thought.
Loved this feature. Esp as I’m in California just now and was wondering what GH day was about. I have your angel too, the one on the left. Mine said it was a copy of the roof angels at Blythborough church in Suffolk. Sadly my poor angel has no hands because my naughty cat, Fezziwig, has chewed them off …
Candlemas is a wonderful time and I have a candle which I light in the evening because it feels like I'm spiritually linked with my sister who is struggling atm. Thank you for this, it's completely what I need to be doing; keeping me strong and nourished spiritually too. I will light a candle for me too so can dream and sleep better.
Another great substack! - thanks JW - and love your reading room, very cosy : )
I really like the name "Candlemas", it sounds warm + inviting, ancient + solid, especially now when the world + life seems to be in so much turmoil. Not so keen on all the Christian overlays that were most likely deliberate attempts to bury deeper meanings. I'd rather harken back those pagan beliefs that connected with nature + the passage of time (but not the associated sacrifices...!)
And you're right about making time for reflection. It's so easy to fill your head with distractions, let the day run away, and perhaps find reasons to run away from your own fears, gnawing away at that knot in your stomach. Yes candles are a great idea, if they're safe (don't burn your house down!) and you don't have allergies, I do unfortunately (so maybe a salt lamp...) Early man of course would have had camp fires, which would be perfect...
So only 6 weeks left before spring - no wonder those snowdrops are coming out : )
There's something in a candle remindful of silence - like snow does or the bottom of the sea. It may sound as a sort of paradox saying that, because fire is a source of warmth and snow or the bottom of the sea are cold. Nevertheless, the quality of stillness is there in the three of them. Your comment, "No-one can manage more than 6 weeks without a PARTY" made me laugh out loud. Yes, I like celebrations too, not just the ones already existent, but the ones I create myself depending of my mood. Firelights, reflections, celebrations - such treasures to enjoy and be grateful for...
A wonderful reminder, the candles, the time in and with the dark (still 6 weels left, no use rushing to make grand plans yet) and the welcome to friends. I will build more ritusl into my days and weeks. I like these connections to these points in our year, as you say its been done for us, we can tune into these rhythms and make sure to celebrate.
I had thought Michealmas was on 29th of September, as its my birthday. Have I had it wrong?