Reflections from the Chair - July

28th July 2021

From a mountainside in Wales, Mike reflects on the words from St Paul to the Corinthians, ‘These three will last forever, faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.', which he comes across inscribed on a commemorative bench.

AJM lived from 1965-2008 and in-memory someone put up a beautiful bench, inscribed with words from St Paul to the Corinthians, ‘These three will last forever, faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.’

The beautiful bench is placed in an astonishing place, half-way up Cwm Buchan between Glaslyn and Nantmoor. As you look up the cwm it feels like just a hop, skip and a jump over to Llyn Dinas, Llyn Gwynant, Yr Aran and the great Yr Wyddfa [Snowdon] itself.

As you look down the cwm you see Traeth Mawr, the great estuary and glimpses of sand and sea. Beyond the dates and the bench we know nothing for certain about AJM, but I can surmise that there was a love for beautiful places, places of stone and sand and sea and sky, thin places where earth and heaven meet.

I can surmise that a life that ended at the age of 43 had an element of tragedy. I can surmise that despite the sadness this was a life aminated by faith, hope and love.

Wherever we are at the end of this almost impossibly challenging academic year, this year of change, of tragedy, of Covid, I hope and pray that we, whether physically or spiritually, can also be inspired by such places, such spaces, and by the faith, hope and love of God.

You can watch this reflection here: https://bit.ly/ReflectYouTubeJuly21