Discerning passion

Roland Carn offers his thoughts on living with integrity

by Roland Carn 29th September 2017

Britain Yearly Meeting Gathering 2017 begins the first of its four themes ‘Heart’, ‘Head’, ‘Hands’ and ‘Feet’. George Lakey, the American Quaker activist and writer, introduces ‘Heart’. The master storyteller unfolds a tale of personal hesitancy and fear that leads on to family tragedy. I’m drawn in as he mirrors my own experience with the sudden death, in 2010, of my engaging rogue of a stepson. My unaccustomed tears begin to flow. George sits and we wait in Quakerly silence. I’m frozen, transfixed with tears streaming down my face. The clerk rising, breaks the spell. At last, I rummage in my bag for my tissues, embarrassed at what my neighbours must be thinking.