Sunday 3 March 2013

Sadness at sea

This morning I thought we had arrived at Mothering Sunday. I was soon assured that it was not but I had had some bad moments before that! My first mothers day without children is going to be bad.

When your parents die you become an orphan. There is no equivalent word for becoming childless. Perhaps a collective noun that covers no immediate relations could be found!

On board ship we have several days at sea. We love our days at sea. On a Sunday at sea we have an ecumenical service taken by the captain, or today by his deputy...both of whom have been regulars in their local churches and it shows.

It is reassuringly based on morning prayer and fellow officers read the lessons. This morning we had no gospel but two odd readings from the Old Testament. One of the hymns was "Sweet Chariot" which didn't please some people.

Returning back to our stateroom I did my own thing in prayer and sat out on the balcony trying to get my head in the right place......it is Lent after all!

Some of our fellow passengers are still in quarantine....they are taking no chances with any epidemic! I am fine now after my cold apart from a gravelly voice first thing!

The days flow past us as we come back into the northern hemisphere. We are well but underlying it all is still sadness....Lord have mercy.