Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
July/August 2008

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From the Editor

by Fanny Ward

As Editor of this issue of Barnes in Common I was able to choose the theme that would drive it.

Having experienced the recent sad passing of three of my most dear friends, one of many feelings that have overwhelmed me has been the loss of further communication with any of them.

What do I do? I can’t pick up the phone to ask the name of that wonderful restaurant in France; I can no longer cheer or be cheered about the day to day rigours of our existence, I won’t be able to apologise for my grumpiness, I just hear the loud slamming shut of our book of reminiscences.

It’s too awful but because of the circumstances surrounding the death of one I wasn’t able to say how very much I had loved him. I think that I am not alone in that brutal fact. I suppose it happens to many people when death is sudden and without warning.

So I came to the idea of this issue.

We lose so much by holding back. Any communication be it “hello” to the postie “thank you” to a shop assistant or calling a friend to say you are thinking of them is valuable. We must say what we feel in our hearts to those we love before it is too late.

However, communication is not limited to speech. It transmits through a smile, a wave and most wonderfully through touch. We all know how comforting a hug can be in some circumstances when words would just get in the way. Just being beside someone who is suffering and holding their hand can be a powerful way of communicating our feelings to them. We must learn to overcome our reserve by demonstrating our love and concern and, in times of celebration, our pride and delight.

We are so lucky because every day of our lives we are open to the wonderful communications of music, poetry and even reading this magazine. As I write this a blackbird is singing his tiny heart out on my chimneypot fiercely competing against a feisty robin. It’s a case of “anything you can do.....”

I hope that you enjoy this issue, perhaps you may wish to COMMUNICATE your thoughts in a letter to the Editor or maybe just SPEAK to me about any of the fine pieces that our contributors have written. I would like to say thank you to them all for taking the time to write such splendid articles for our enjoyment.

Carpe diem.

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