Thought for the Day
Tuesday
Good morning.
Occasionally, a statue catches our eye and we may wonder how such a figure came to warrant such public prominence. Statues of Nelson, Wellington or Churchill are quite predictable, but the stories and reasons behind other figures commemorated in certain villages and towns may be less well understood. In Southampton, one such statue is that of Isaac Watts, one of our most famous hymn writers (born 1674). Isaac had no royal blood or military prowess, yet the statue has remained for 150 years. Now a target for seagulls and pigeons, what was it that inspired a generation to commemorate his life?
It certainly wasn’t due to his family heritage! As an infant, his father was imprisoned on religious grounds during turbulent times. His mother was known to sit waiting with Isaac at the prison gates for an opportunity to visit. Imprisoned twice for his beliefs, Isaac’s father dedicated his life to helping the church and local community to move forward in education and in quality of life.
His statue was not warranted on account of physique - at just 38 years old, his health deteriorated and after being invited to spend a week at the home of a friend, he remained there for the rest of his life debilitated by illness, and spent his time writing. His hymns were enriched by his own experience of living with limitations. His experience has resonated with the experiences of many others over the last 300 years.
So what was it that set this man apart in his generation and caused him to become an inspiration to others? In Isaac’s day, puritan prose took the place of singing in churches, which was actively discouraged. But he pressed in to communicate in word and song, something of what it meant to live a life less ordinary, and his hymns of worship became an inspiration to people everywhere. He recognised that in every human heart there is a longing to connect with the extra-ordinary, a desire to reach for and touch the very Spirit of God!
Wednesday
Good morning
I recently purchased a CD entitled ‘Highjacked into Paradise’ which was recorded live in Central Hall, Southampton by songwriter, Godfrey Birtill. A lingering line in one of his songs represents the heart-cry of many in these days… “what a terrible mess we’re in; what a terrible mess we’re in”. Although I’m generally a positive person I’m aware that many of us have deep concerns about our world; concerns over climate change, financial stability, crime or worries over employment – it is difficult to say to what extent our fears are fuelled by our appetite for bad news. I do know that my son now washes his hands meticulously for fear of swine flu and my daughter is part of a school club called Global Gang and regularly warns me about the challenges of climate change. All this and they still struggles to tie their shoe laces! I can’t remember haven’t such concerns as a young child –my main concern was whether gooey tapioca would be served again for school dinners…and what was it anyway!
The newly recorded song reminds me of the famous old hymn by Isaac Watts – O God our help in ages past, which chimes out on the hour from Southampton’s Civic Centre every day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
This hymn was sung in St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1965 at the funeral of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The hymn was timely, 20 years after the end of the Second World War it encouraged everyone to hold onto the source of their strength in the present, as witnessed in the past, and carry it forward with hope into their future. Do we, today, still carry that sense of having prevailed in the past, and find that a source of hope for our present and future?
Churchill is quoted as saying, “difficulties mastered are opportunities won." How can we approach our difficulties with the same degree of hope, resolve and solidarity as previous generations have done? Leaders and visionaries like Churchill are rare but common vision and purpose remain necessary to facing the challenges of our day and the source of our strength remains the same.
Thursday
Good morning.
This year is the 20th Anniversary of a charity in the South called Groundswell. The charity was set up to support those affected by HIV and AIDS. This Sunday, the Bishop of Southampton, Paul Butler, will be speaking at a special event to mark this occasion. For the past four years, I have chaired Groundswell and worked with the staff and volunteers who support many of those in our region who are infected or affected by HIV and AIDS. I’m sure like me, many of us can remember back to the Government Warnings of the 1980s. At that time, people were dying unexpectedly and quickly from AIDS, resulting in widespread panic and judgement by others. Groundswell was initiated to respond to the palliative care needs of those dying from AIDS.
For those now living with HIV the situation has changed significantly, with better treatment providing people with a way to live with the virus over a much longer period of time. The charity has adapted to these changes, moving to a place where our main work involves helping affected people to live with HIV in a manageable way. Living with a chronic illness is very difficult and the stigma still attached to HIV makes it difficult for people to tell others of their challenges.
Standing in centre of Southampton is a statue of Isaac Watts, our most famous hymn-writer! Isaac lived most of his life with a debilitating illness which came upon him when he was just 38 years old. Unlike his contemporary John Wesley, many more of the hymns by Isaac Watts were written in the minor key carrying a sense of both worship and lament, rich in the value of life and relationships in the midst of sorrow and pain; in this way they carry a sense of reverence and majesty.
This same value of life and relationships in the midst of joys and pains has been at the heart of Groundswell throughout its 20 years of operation. When I reached 20 years of age I took stock of my life and took forward the things from my past that were good, and made a decision to leave behind those other things that were unhelpful. As we as a charity now take stock, we can look back and remind ourselves of a compassionate generation who held out a hand to others who were dying in our hospices and continue forward in that same spirit. We can leave firmly behind us the pointing fingers and judgements that were never ours to make.
Friday
Good morning.
Recently, at Heathrow Airport, a number of airline pilots walked past my friends and I, and we couldn’t help noticing how young all the pilots looked! Now I’m only in my 30’s but some of the pilots looked far too young to be in charge of a jumbo jet carrying hundreds of passengers at an altitude of 40,000 feet. Seeming much younger and wetter behind the years than most of the passengers that were boarding we all became a little un-nerved to be entrusting our lives for the next 12 hours into their hands!
I was reminded that the famous Southampton-born hymn-writer, Isaac Watts was only 24 when he became a public figure, renowned for his learning, public speaking and writing. Once he broke the ice on his 24th birthday (July 17th, 1698) he entered the public arena and spoke regularly. I want to be one of those that recognises the talent and contribution of the young people of our day! I also want to be one of those who stays ‘youth-full’ in my approach to life, despite the advancing years!
This view is in sharp contrast to that held by George Bernard Shaw, who said, “Youth is wasted on the young”, but a more generous view, and one with which I concur, was proposed by Sophia Loren who said, “There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” Isaac Watts was encouraged by elders at the time to utilise his talents for the benefit of others and indeed he needed some persuasion to step into that leadership role.
With many young people in our region not as yet in any form of employment, education or training, it is a rewarding sight to see young people encouraged to discover their talents and use them to make their unique contribution to society. And even though I may be slightly disturbed as my aeroplane is flown by freckled-faced pilots, my surgeon looks little older than my son and our police officers walking the beat look like they’ve just come from school, I’m deeply grateful that the young have found their talent and are breaking through the boundaries of our expectations. Like Isaac Watts, they will need our encouragement to step out from their place of learning into an arena where they find their place of significance and influence.
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