I am The Bothy Man

While I have been on Holy Island I have often been referred to as, the “Bothy Man”, because of where I have been living for the last 13 days. Equally, the Beatles wrote a song called, “I am the Walrus” (1967, Magical Mystery Tour). After, looking into the mirror this morning, I did wonder if I too could have been looking at the Walrus, with this beard 81 days!

Still the beard as been complimented by several people and one good friend thought it made me look more like a wild-man-of-the-Orkneys. Well ‘wild’ is good and I’m not aware that I have aged because of it. If anything, I would say that I feel more at ease with myself and the age that I am. More complimentive. More time to see what is happening and witness the effect of interacting with others, in the various local communities in which I have been living. Even at Quarr Abbey, I overheard a visitor say, whispering rather too loudly, for the chapel that they could not understand why one of the monks, had clearly not been looking after himself with a beard like that and anyway where was his habit? Habits notwithstanding, whether I am a wild-man from the Orkneys, or an disheveled monk, or the Bothy Man of Lindisfarne, I know one thing, God still likes what he sees.

So often on my travels, the number of people who claim that they have seen a place and all that it can offer in half-a-day, twenty-four, or even stretching point to forty-eight hours for any of the islands has left me looking for the understanding in this statement. I know that three weeks in each place will not have been long enough. There are a number of touristy bits I will not have done, but for me the people, the community spirit of these places have been the most important part of this journey.

I talk a lot in my vocation, there are always time to listen, but a real lack of time to reflect. This part of ministry is more like modern technology, because it is always on, immediate, accessible, twenty-four seven. Being on sabbatical has at least meant that one could stop the merry-go-round and switch it off and hear God speaking. The bustle, the need for urgency slows down the a bear crawl, to the point of being stationary. Angels are still engaged in various conversations, they come, saying what need to be said and leaving. Some come and pray and that has also been prophetic too. Tea and coffee is still being brewed and drunk on the islands. Hospitality is still being exhibited wherever I go. The generosity of others often overwhelming, both spiritually as well as physically. What did I do to deserve this? Why does God provide so much for his servant?

I realise that for many of you reading this that I am letting you in on my personal thoughts and emotions, my sabbatical, and my reflections. More often than not these times are done either in groups, or in solitude. While I am in favour of both. I am glad that this time for me has been a time for solitude and only seeking time with people as and when the needs arises. The long periods of travel, driving mainly by car, has given me times of appreciative thinking to really get behind what is happening, what my eyes are taking in, but mostly letting the senses drink in the majestic landscapes, with all the sound that they offer to my ears.

Well the wild-man, the disheveled monk, and the Bothy Man has been in some very happy places. Living in B&Bs with all the creature comforts you could ask for. To a monk’s cell, where the creature comforts were decidedly lacking, but still all that I needed. To the Bothy, where I could be alone with my thoughts, fending for myself, sitting in splendid isolation with works of art in a church, all to myself for meal times. To quote a cliché, “God has been good to me”.