July 18, 2009

Today I'm on the move. One of the other participants was also catching a fairly early train so we shared a taxi from Holy Island to Berwick Upon Tweed and boarded the train for London. After we'd agreed to share the taxi she called and changed her train ticket, so we're now on the same train. But we're not in the same cars -- and it seems that most of the seats on this train are reserved -- good thing I booked mine before heading out to Lindisfarne last Friday!

Yesterday was blustery day. I spent the morning going to the Heritage Centre where a copy of the Lindisfarne Gospels is on display. (The orignal has been taken to the London Museum for safe keeping.) There is also an interactive copy. Prepared by one man, Eadfrith in either the late 7th or early 8th century it is a truly amazing document, and the technology that lets you turn pages, magnify sections, have it read to you ... the list goes on, is truly also an amazing accomplishment of technology. If you want to see some of what I saw click here.

The afternoon was blustery and Graham said that the forecast was for more rain and increasingly strong winds, so, feeling the need to go out for one last visit I donned my waterproofs (jacket and trousers), pulled up the hood and set off for the Heugh, and the beach below. The winds were fairly fierce, and I was very glad that I had the waterproof suit. When I got to the beach I did wonder what had possessed me to make this final journey until I looked down. There at my feet I saw some limpet shells and I knew why I was there.

The night before, when we were reflecting on our experiences of the day and the week so far, Carol shared with us an image from someone else. She spoke of the limpets, a little sea animal with a conical shell that fastens itself to rocks and moves slowly over the surface feeding when the tide is in and it is safely protected, but which, when the tide is out, fastens itself solidly to the rock and stays there while battered by the forces of nature. As long as it remains solidly attached to the rock it stays safe.

She went on to tell us of a woman who had come on retreat to Lindisfarne, and who had taken limpet shells home with her. She took photos of limpets, and at home made sure that there were limpet shells in all of her favourite sitting spots. The shells were to remind her that as long as she attached herslef to God, and remained as solidly connected as the limpet, then she would be all right. The shells and photos were there to remind her, so that when her connection became more tenuous, she would be reminded to reconnect to God and all would be well.

I loved the imagery of that, and had wondered with Anne Marie (back on Iona) what the conical shells were. It was the captain of the boat that took us to Staffa who introduced me to limpets and told me what they were. So there I was, limpet shells at my feet, and just waiting to be gathered, as reminders for me, and also as something to take to our evening reflection before worship to share with the others. I gathered enough to satisfy me and then headed down the beach to the other path up. Back at the Open Gate I shed my very wet waterproofs (and yes, they were indeed waterproof!), laid out my shells to dry and relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, working on my reflection for the evening.

We used the shells as part of our reflection during the evening prayers downstairs in the chapel, making me doubly glad that I'd gathered them. But i didn't get any pictures of them on the rocks -- the tide was too high and I wasn't willing to get too close to the edge of the water -- I didn't want to put the waterproofing of my hiking boots to the test!

I'm hoping that I'll be able to find some limpets in Sussex (if we make it to sea!) and take a picture there. If I do, I'll be sure to post it!

And now, I've just left Newcastle -- free wifi on the the train (how civilised is that!!!???) as well as an outlet for my laptop -- and I'm NOT travelling first class!