Pax

This is a close-up of the statue in the grounds of the Sint-Janshospitaal in Bruges. I first knew of it when a German friend sent me a photo, perhaps around ten years ago.  But Mrs B and I visited Bruges in 2016 and I photographed the statue then.

I use this close-up today  because a friend from school days, with whom I have maintained contact since he went to Oxford University and I bummed around London, emailed me today with the sad news of his son's death.  I don't know how he died but my friend mentioned problems with his mental health.

We have had a trying day, with poor weather putting paid to our plans for a break in Devon this week, or next, or October; we wish we had worked harder at getting away when summer was on.  But our minor niggles were nothing to the sadness of a father and mother who will have to bury their son.  My responding email was a trite affair, but I thought of this image and felt that its inclusion in the email back to my friend would indicate some of my fellow-feeling.  In some way, perhaps.