A lovely dream

I had the loveliest dream last night. 

I was in some beautiful woodland with Jessica DeLand and Red Kickery (young people when I was the Rector at St. Stephen’s, Pittsfield), and with my oldest friend – Bristolian Jeff Davies (Jeff and I have known each other since I was six and he was five).

The four of us were riding bicycles and adult tricycles on a wide pathway in the woods.

The scene changed. We were sitting on some steps outside a boat-house, looking at a lovely flowing river.

I exclaimed “I am so happy, and I will always be happy”.

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‘Twas such a lovely thought, and it has remained with me all day.

Truth to tell I can be a bit of a whiner/complainer but my dream “told” me that I have every reason to be happy, so very happy.

(Dreams are often telling us something important, but of course the characters in a dream (e.g. Jessica, Red and Jeff)  are fascinating tricks of the mind, but they are  not essential to the “plot”).


There is also, of course, the happiness which is occasioned by beauty. 

As it happens there were very many rainbows in the Boston area on Monday.  Thanks to digital cameras, I-phones, the social media and the like, many of my Boston area friends posted rainbow pictures on Facebook.  Such beauty.

 You'll see some of them below.

It amuses me that in the biblical saga of Noah, the rainbow is placed in the heavens not as a sign of God’s faithfulness to humankind (as they taught me in Sunday School) , but as God’s reminder to God -  see this (Genesis 9:12-15 NRSV)

12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my (rain) bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.


In other words – God needs to be reminded to be faithful.  What fun!


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Harvard Sq.

Porter Sq, Cambridge

Somerville MA (an earlier picture)

Arlington MA

Not sure where

Again, not sure where.

Boston Harbour 

Dedham MA

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