This week's Thoughts

Being laid up with no energy to do anything apart from the mundane, has been sort of good..it's given me lots of thinking time, lstening to R4 time, reading parts of my herbal book, contemplating getting into gardening more this year, thinking about decorating parts of my home and booking a flight for my son to Copenhagen. I'm not one for sitting around too much either but this illness has been good for the above reasons and what a funny old way to start the New Year!

I listened to a wonderful programme today about Charles Darwin and his life. I was never a fan of Natural selection etc but finding out about his life, experiments and theories has been pretty much interesting; he was a family man who worked hard and worked his brain well..interesting that he believed in plants, animals and humans all being connected - I would agree with him on this and indeed, think this as a positive. He was also a humanitarian on many levels and I never realised that Marx related to some of his theories. Interesting stuff. When he died, he wanted to be buried in his local parish grave yard but he was snatched and buried in London! Hard to believe really and must've been madness for his family but the political climate of the time wanted him up there with the almightys!

My son is now officially leaving to live in Denmark at the end of January. I'm mixed about this and of course I'm glad for him because it's a new way of life, a change, a rite of passage on some level, chance to spend good bonding time with his Dad, chance to learn a new language amongst many other things. I guess at the moment we have a very volatile mother -son relationship so his absence will give me respite and I hope he matures well whilst out there. Like any parent, I worry about this change for him, I hope he manages OK, I hope he meets new friends, I hope he settles..although I have told him his home is always here if it doesn't work out and even if he goes away for a year only, then that's a good thing and indeed, has given him access to his Danish roots on a larger level than when he holidays over there..I hope he takes the bull by the horns so to speak and gets on out there meeting new people, having a ball, maybe meeting a Danish girlfriend, being happy..In England, it seems he's lost motivation and is bored..I want him to feel inspired again and indeed I think being around his Dad and the Danish culture will give him a different perspective and motivation.. Time will tell but watch this space!

The Gaza situation is extremely distressing. I was contemplating attending the demo in London this Saturday but with flu, this ain't a good idea. I don't like watching the news footage as it just seems to get more and more depressing but the whole situation seems so unfair on all of the innocents. I can't believe this place is still wrought with problems and I'm a believer in Palestinians having the free state they so deserve..without the interference of Israel.And after studying parts of the Arab- Israeli conflict years ago, it seems to me the only real and viable peaceful option. I foresee that this situation could escalate in the area with other countries getting involved..where will it all end? Sad thoughts indeed..

On a brighter note, I received a text from a friend of a friend asking if I'd like to go out for dinner - all expenses paid!..sweet and kind offer and not sure whether I should go or not but I'm considering and reflecting about a lot just recently which I haven't written about here and it's not the stuff of goodness, has messed with feelings of trust and trust is a biggy for me...not good!! Hmm..