We had a great time on Monday afternoon, with lots of good friends to share in the celebration. Professor Maddocks was charming as always. He has a way of speaking the truth without offending people. It is a gift. I am very thankful for his generous support of me. Firstly for reading the book under such trying circumstances, and then having kind things to say. I am grateful to Ian Price, Mediacom, Sean (with his passion for Paul Kelly), Pam and Claire for helping with the catering, St Andrew’s Hospital and Evelyn Munoz in particular, Bindy Taylor for taking photos, for the joy of grandchildren sharing in what must be quite bewildering to them, and my exceptional family. What a fortunate woman I am!
With Ian’s permission, I have added his launch speech:
Emeritus Professor Ian Maddocks:
Sharonne – SOULSTICE
I am grateful to Sharonne for the invitation to help launch her book ‘Soulstice’ . For one thing, it has required me to read it.
With eyes increasingly dim I read now only with large magnification, and see letters rather than words, a harking back to childhood, when we spelt words out – C. A. T. – until we were able to see the whole word as a pattern.
The word SOLSTICE speaks of old Sol, the sun. Two times in our life together we have been able to look over the western sea, and follow the Sunsets as they range north and south with the seasons, along the horizon, turning back in spring and autumn at the solstice to start the travel back again…..
But SOUL? How do we put SOUL into the picture. I see soul MEANDERINGS in the same way. For me it wanders in and out, backwards and forwards through ‘soul’ experiences – of awe, guilt, sadness, elation, moments of apparent clarity move on to days of uncertainty.
Sharonne has brought me an understanding of the soul’s meanderings that I have found particularly helpful.
She has provided here a structure – a putting together of souls individual letter to form a pattern with new meaning, and an n invitation to see soul’s wandering as a journey, helping it find direction, even purpose in its progress.
She sets the journey into its parts:
First the intention – the idea – INSPIRATION – how about we …… ???
Often we will find inspiration in stories of other people’s journeys . Sharonne uses rich metaphors of those who tackled difficult mountains or trackless seas, but faces us also with equally determined intentions and difficult passages undertaken in domestic or suburban life. She calls up a remarkable range of reading , to bring us a wealth of illustration and anecdote; by these, we may see how other journeys, other heroes and helpers can refresh our own journey.
Her wealth of illustration reminded me of the classic erudite Presbyterian sermon.
Next is the preparation, getting ready for the journey, a time for that great virtue HOPE ,”hope we have as an anchor for the soul’; but I see hope not as something to tie us down, rather is it one of the 3 tenses of Christ – Christ past: Faith; Christ present: Love; Christ future: Hope. An active quality which is our responsibility to help get ready, to be prepared so that things are ready for Christ the tiger to spring.
Then comes the start.- the DECISION: let’s go now!
Now on to the travel – Sharonne calls it, rightly, the pilgrimage, one that calls for PERSEVERANCE and HEROISM – finding, in adversity, strengths that we did not know we had.
Pilgrimage is journeying in the company of fellow pilgrims HELPING each other.
I have seen Sharonne as a compulsive helper, but here she uses a long experience to offer us simple tools to make sense of the challenge of helping along the way, for in helping others, we help ourselves.
Finally, we come HOME – The happiest journeys are those that bring us home. Home has many meanings for us, but above all, I think it is the place where we can be most confident of receiving grace and sharing love.
SOULSTICE is a religious book in the best sense of the word, – not preachy but thoughtful. It tackles the important questions of human existence – who am I? Why are things so? WHAT MATTERS?
DIANA asked, ‘WHO IS Sharonne’s book FOR.?’ Clearly, first of all, It is for Sharonne herself – she uses it to help make sense of a long experience in helping roles, bringing in family and personal history and the many changes she has seen in her pilgrimage within the Christian community.
I have found it was written also for me. It touches many questions I have struggled with over the years, and expresses them in ways that had me putting the book aside, pondering past times – when I held back from embarking on a new journey, or lacked perseverance to continue, or failed to offer another person assistance that could have helped. Also times filled with joy and love. I could return to the pages and find renewed heart, new hope and a greater confidence in grace, as Sharonne led me on. You will find, I believe, that it was written for you.
I do not see this as a book to be read at one sitting, or even over a weekend – though you may undertake it so. I have enjoyed taking it in parts, reading it like C A T., but heading always onwards tracking towards home.
So I invite you to share with Sharonne your own appreciation of the journey of life.
I point the good ship Soulstice towards the sea of book-shops and cyber-space, and swing a metaphorical bottle of bubbly against her bow. May many souls travel safely in her care.
Ian Maddocks, 15 May 2017
