Wandering & Wayfaring

Today was my mother's 60th birthday, so a couple of days ago I traveled up from London to Cottingham on the train, so I could celebrate and spend quality time with my family.

During this period of wandering, I have found immense pleasure in walking along the river Thames, following its curves and contours, soaking in the sense of its gently moving stillness.

Just before I left Cottingham to begin my wandering, a friend mentioned a quote that he attributed to the mystic, monk and poet Thomas Merton:

I sit here on the banks of the Thames, watching two crews rowing, while seagulls glide serenely over the gently moving waters. There is a stillness to this moment, but also the background hum of the relentless traffic of London. The day lies ahead of me, wide open, like a vast blank canvas, as I ponder the words of David...