Time to part ...

This photo contains all the elements of our three-day retreat at the Cathedral of The Isles on Cumbrae - the reason I was there in the first place, before I took on the task of standing in for the Warden over the weekend. So here we have the four participants and our director, Sr Clare; we have Mr PB who stayed on when he might have gone home, in order to meet some guests at the College who would otherwise have taken me away from my long-awaited retreat; we have the organist and Lay Chaplain of the Cathedral who is our oldest friend and whose morning office began each day. Added to the human participants is the representation on the wall behind us of the Holy Spirit descending - the Cathedral is dedicated to the Holy Spirit and Butterfield incorporated it in the design. The sky is blue, as it was throughout the three days (the torrential rain of yesterday night chose a time when we were in bed). On top of the cross above the East Window is a seagull - I wouldn't be surprised if it is Oscar, waiting for the attentions of the man behind the camera: the chef, whose excellent food kept us going and more besides.

What you can't see is the invisible presence of the man whose music and poetry provided a framework for our meditations and discussion: Leonard Cohen. Our retreat began with the words You Want it Darker; it ended last night with the reassurance that there is a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in.