It's amazing how that song of Dylan's has stayed with me down the years, over half a century of them! That single, oft repeated phrase haunts life,- my own and, whether we acknowledge it or not, everyone's, though it might get muddled up with divers other daft doors! Still, Dylan's song is reassuring in that he was plainly not just referring to some mythical Heaven utterly beyond our experience. I do not mean any slight to Heaven as a metaphysical, transcendent reality outside and beyond time, but the fact is that this concept cuts no ice with me if I can absolutely not locate it in our own experience. What's more, we have our Saviour's assurance that 'the Kingdom of Heaven is among you'!
However, the more fundamental reassurance, in fact the true revelation, comes when we realise that our tentative little knocks on that heavenly door are not some fancy or fantasy of our own, but our response to the much firmer knock coming from the other side. 'Behold, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him.' (Rev. 3:20) This meal can be any old simple activity, so long as it is indeed orientated to that Kingdom of Heaven! It refers to no prideful banquet, but to any humble celebration of God's gifts. It is a simple revelation, accessible to anyone who puts aside their pride, opens that door and keeps it open.
It has been maintained by some who are close to me that it will be a miracle if I manage to get myself and my old boat to sea again. They could be right, but then it is a miracle that is getting close to realisation, and this through a succession of minor miracles that on my own I could not have engineered,- people, money coming out of the woodwork, just when and only when absolutely required, my health holding up also when it was needed. Not, let it be said, always when I would have wanted. I wanted to get to sea again years ago now. I could have done without cancer, covid, many little trials, but just gently, in God's good time, the job has been nearly completed and now I feel sure it will be fine.
So last week, back again in Nazaré, Ian from South Africa was precisely able to give me the two days needed in order for him to share his knowledge about rigging with Dyneema rope, and we prepared the new stays. Ian prides himself on being an African, who gets on doing things with his own hands, rather than expecting to have loads of money to pay others to do our work for us, or merely ruling ourselves out of for instance sailing, leaving it to the billionaires while we get ourselves all wrapped up in regulations, taxes, insurance and the rest of it! Twenty years ago, I might have been able to even associate Ireland with the African attitude. However, Lulu from Belfast was also able to give me the help I needed for getting around and so on. She is making up a new bimini/hood set-up. The stove was wonderful in chasing the cold damp out of the cabin, and I was soon cosy aboard despite the rainy winter weather. I am confident of sailing for home around the end of May.
They had a nasty storm in the east of Ireland last night and it rained plenty here, but this morning the sun is shining, just as it was on New Year's day, when we went for a spin down the peninsula. Coming to the shore this side of Kilbaha, we saw first a couple of humpback whales, and later a feeding frenzy in the distance with humpbacks and the unmistakable blow of a fin whale,- all very auspicious since this year I intend to bring the Anna M home for dolphin and whale-watching in the summer.
When we were done with the whales, I spotted one of the alumina ships coming downriver from Aughinish. I confirmed her as such by AIS, as can be seen below. This is the third that I have seen in recent years, and these are just the ones which I spotted out on my little walks with the dogs. -
