Category Archives: Uncategorized

Not everyone celebrates the new year on 1 January. In 2023 Chinese New Year falls on 22 January, Islamic New Year in mid-July, Jewish in mid-September, while other religions and states celebrate the new year on other dates. Not everyone is looking forward to what’s ahead. The world is beset by war, exploitation, inequality andContinue reading “2023 is here”

Recently, I heard a senior Australian politician talking about the place of books in his childhood. You only owned a book if you received it as a Christmas or birthday present. If you wanted to read at any other time of year, you relied on the library. He was lucky enough to live in aContinue reading “Reading and books”

Recently, I’ve been helping to clean a house that provided a home for an older single man for fifteen years. He was an active and engaged resident, who carefully tended his home, loved his garden, and connected with his neighbours. COVID-19 shook him, making him anxious about himself and others, so he hunkered down, andContinue reading “Weeding and editing can be creative”

For some reason—possibly I didn’t pay attention at the right time and in the right place, or perhaps I heard only a paraphrase of the original, or had a teacher who went straight to the punchline—but I remember the phrase “thou shalt not lie”. The Old Testament says “thou shalt not bear false witness againstContinue reading “Are there any good lies?”

September 1 marks the beginning of spring in Australia. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the seasonContinue reading “A hopeful spring”