You may remember my post about seeing cemeteries during the course of my cycling trips. Well it’s happened again.
Godlingston Cemetery in Washpond Lane near Swanage holds 15 Commonwealth war graves from World War II.
Maintained by the War Graves Commission, it is a credit to the town, to the Commission and more importantly, a credit to the brave servicemen who gave their lives in the service of their King.
This evening, whilst looking at the boats in the Quay, I heard a very familiar sound, that of four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines droning overhead. It was the Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, having done a fly-by at the Bournemouth Air Show, but that sound and the memories it conjures, left a real sense of pride to be British.
When other countries are been blamed for injuring and killing their own people, it is a great thing that we still hold those men, and machines, who fought for our freedom between 1939 and 1945, so dear.
Coincidentally, one of the graves in Godlingston is that of Michael Giles Homer DFC, a Pilot Officer, who while flying with 44 Squadron was decorated for his actions during a bombing raid in 1940. The citation reads:
“In April, 1940, this officer was pilot of an aircraft carrying out a high-level bombing attack on two enemy cruisers anchored in Christiansand Bay. In the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and attacks by enemy fighters, he successfully pressed home his bombing attack and his air gunner shot down an enemy fighter which burst into flames and crashed into the sea. Although his aircraft had been damaged he skilfully piloted it back to his base, which necessitated a sea crossing of more than 400 miles.”
Although it is unlikely that Pilot Office Homer flew the Avro Lancaster, as 44 Squadron was only equipped with them in late 1940, after his demise, it is a fitting link and further goes to illustrate the ‘connectedness’ of all things.
The Avro Lancaster
After the disgraceful tissue of lies that allowed Tony Blair’s Labour government to take us to war with Iraq back in 2003, it was heartening to see David Cameron get his comeuppance in the Syrian vote last night.
Over the life of this blog, you will have seen that my Buddhist Practice has become, more and more, the basis of my life.
Hands up all those who never thought they’d see that title on my blog … but today has been pretty awesome so far. Ok, so it’s Tuesday, and I’ve just had the perfect long weekend, but in work terms this is a notional Monday after all. But it has been a really great day, even though things have been a little hectic in the office, and all because I now have the ability to pour a certain calm over everything.
I offer appreciation to the Shoten Zenjin, the functions in life and in the environment that serve to protect us, and prey that these protective powers may be further strengthened and enhanced through my practice of the Law.
I offer my deepest praise and most sincere gratitude to the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws, which was bestowed upon the entire world.
I pray that the great desire for kosen-rufu is fulfilled, and that the Soka Gakkai International develops eternally in this endeavour.
I pray to bring forth Buddhahood from within my life, change my karma and to fulfil my wishes in the present and the future.
Yesterday and today could not have been much more different if they had tried. Yesterday I spent most of the day encouraging, cajoling and a couple of times, pushing someone to conquer a task that in actual fact, was way outside their comfort zone, namely cycling the fifty odd kilometres from Poole to Weymouth. That involved a great deal of talking, as you might expect.
Dorset is a beautiful county, and the ride from Poole to Weymouth by way of Wareham and East and West Lulworth allows you see the very best of it. Although there is no gain without a little pain, some of the hills on the route are not for the faint hearted particularly the 1 in 5 climb up Grange Hill.
Behind our offices in Ringwood, runs the Bickley Mill stream, a small tributary of the river Avon. In winter it can be quite a torrent, but since the long dry summer, that flow has slowed to little more than a trickle. So with a little time to spare first thing this morning, I stood on the bank watching the water moving slowly past.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations, or potential situations, were we are a little unsure of what the outcome may be.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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