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People – that is the reason for the season!  I think that I have been fortunate in following my vocation in life to be fascinated by people.  I know that some people like to run away from people, and are happy to be cocooned in their own world.  I too can find that I have had enough of people, and yearn for the open views and desolate hill tops of a long distance walk.  But people – I do so love to watch people.

This month I’ve been travelling around quite a lot and have found the following encounters rather memorable.  No names of course, that would never do!  Especially as the Blog statistics show that our visitor numbers are rising month on month.  Must be that you blogwatchers are fascinated by the world beyond the end of your nose too!

A train journey to London, and a crowded train.  I managed to get a seat [with my increasingly silver hair do, I find people are starting to get up and offer me seats! Can't wait for the bus pass!] and opposite me sat a young girl.  She had on a heavy anorak, and her hair was tightly wound into curlers.  I presumed she was coming home from work, and perhaps was going to the hairdressers or something.  Over the course of our 90 minute journey, she carefully applied her make up, her eyes – eyelids, eye lashes, and eyeliner; then her cheeks and lips, carefully applied taking into account the swaying carriage we were sat in; and then she brushed out her hair into lovely curly long locks. 

As we pulled into Waterloo Station she stood up and slipped off the heavy anorak coat, revealing the most beautiful sparkly black cocktail dress.  She tidied the make-up bag and anorak into her carry bag, and as a butterfly emerging from the chrysalis, left the train for her party, and a lot of open mouthed males behind!  Good for you girl!

We all need Friends. Not just the American sit-com which I do enjoying watching from time to time, but also the day to day contact with people who support and nurture us as fellow human beings.  Friends – and especially the Friends of Wiltshire Churches is my next observation.  We have this year launched a Friends of Wiltshire Churches to support the fundraising efforts of the Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust, of which I am the Chairman.  We give away around £45,000 each year to churches who are seeking to repair the fabric of the County’s churches.  Most of the money comes from the Ride and Stride [Bike Ride] but with gradually reducing number of riders, we need to find other ways of raising money.

This night, in London, a great group of Friends gathered at Hoare’s Bank in Fleet Street, to celebrate the launch of the Friends.  I’ve never been in the bank before and it reminded me of that scene in Mary Poppins where the children go to visit their father in his city bank.  It was just like that, and a wonderful glimpse into low security, face to face contact, with plenty of oak panelling and old fashioned courtesy.  The doorbell sounded gentle and welcoming, and the uniformed attendant was courteous and friendly, and ever so politely told me what to do with my coat and bag, and where the reception was held.  People portly, people titled, people with interests wide and sincere, gathered together to celebrate the desire to value and gift our historic churches for future generations – and the champagne and food was delicious and generously donated to us, by the good people of Hoare’s Bank.

My third people encounter, was the gathering in Bemerton, at a neighbour’s house, for mulled wine and canapes.  I still find it very sad that you can live as neighbours for a whole year and never find the time or space to get to know people.  It is my fault, and I could if I made it a priority, gather people together for just this purpose.  In fact we do host a couple of large garden parties each year, but when you are hosting you don’t seem to engage as well with your guests. 

This evening we were guests, and had the time and privilege of getting to know the local folk.  Of course some of the perceptions were hard – “You should do more for Bemerton, Archdeacon!”  “We never seem to see you in Church” “Of course we used to have the village fete in your garden!”  “How many years have you lived here now – and when are you likely to be moving?”

Ah – but if they only read the Blog, they’d know where and when and how my life is lived out.

People – love ‘em all!