Engraved upon my heart

4 comments
Me, I'm not a Mary girl, I'm an Elizabeth girl.

By and large, if I could be remembered for having said anything, I'd probably have gone with Liz.

I have the heart of a man, not a woman, and I am not afraid of anything.

or:

I pray to God that I shall not live one hour after I have thought of using deception.

and some who know me might think

God forgive you, but I never can.

has a ring about it too!


but apparently, Mary is famously supposed to have said:


"When I am dead, you will find Calais engraved upon my heart".

And I think, when I am dead, you will find 'Tinker's Bubble' engraved upon mine. If I had lived a braver life, been less conformed, been less afraid, I would live at Tinker's Bubble . If they'd have me.

I'm mildly obsessed with the Bubble. Six years ago, a friend clipped and sent to me an article from The Times colour supplement, about Mary Durling, I can't share it with you now, because The Times charges for online content these days, but I folded that paper, and it has been book-mark and talisman to me these six years. It says pretty much what the clip above says.

The sheer dogged determination, the certainty, the courage in the face of adversity, and the value placed upon simplicity. The knowledge that living hand to mouth is A GOOD THING. It's used these days as a slur, but to milk the cow right before you make your baby breakfast porridge? My days, it's sublime.

The walking lightly, the kindness, the tolerance, the forbearance.

I know, I wouldn't fit in. But what a glorious dream.




4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are so like me. I would love to live at Tinker's bubble or live that lifestyle. Also would like dread locks LOL!!! Deferently not plain these days! At 29 I have long last got the confidence to live how God wants me to live and I am happy!!!

Love Ruth

Ellen, the Bluestocking Belle said...

Sounds sort of like the Shaker village at Sabbathday Lake we just visited (minus the whole God thing, I guess). I'm drawn to aspects of that kind of life, too. But they'd never have me...

Jackie said...

Ruth, go for the dreadlocks girl! I truly hope you follow the awesome Sara at http://walkslowlylivewildly.com/ you would so love her stuff!

Ellen, yes, it's that fault line isn't it, faith and simplicity - it's such a RICH and complicated vein ... any chance you're coming over for coffee and a long chat any time soon .....

Pen Wilcock said...

I love that video! That is exactly how I want to live. Thank you for posting this :0)

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