22nd April - Day 39 - It Peaks for Itself

Everything looked a lot greener suddenly this morning. Looking across the valleys, the different shades of brown are gradually being replaced with the different greens and despite the extremely cold morning and ice, it was a lovely ride (heated socks still in place!).

The picture was supposed to be of a buzzard perched on a tree - but it flew off before I could take it - in the way that birds have a tendency to do! The rocks that I did take, however, took me back to my school Geography lessons and learning about the unusual rock and valley formations in the Peak District.

As Hermann Hess wrote, ‘gentleness is stronger than severity, water is stronger than rock, love is stronger than force.’ When we look at the peaks and rock formations, it is hard to believe the power that the water has had to forge out valleys and caves. It is also fascinating (well to me anyway, if not anyone else) to learn about the way that the river valleys were themselves altered by ice streams blocking and causing them to change from their original course.

Knowing this and reading Hess’s quotation helps us to remember what real strength and power is. It sometimes takes more strength and bravery to be gentle and loving but what is achieved is often much greater than that achieved with force or anger.

As Freud said, Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.’