Good morning , I hope that my British readers have enjoyed their extra hour’s rest or have made profitable use of it otherwise.

A human tragedy has happened in Korea from celebrations of being alive post Covid which have left 150 people celebrating the dead – dead.

We have had our share of crowd tragedies and know that celebration and tragedy can go together. Ibrox, Hillsborough, Heysel.

All Souls and All Saints

Today is the Sunday of All Saints and All Souls when the Christian church celebrates the dead and especially the Saints on whose work the church has been built.

This morning , I will be going to Wesley’s chapel , I may also  go to St Brides and remember the Saints.

This evening I will go to evensong at St Brides Church and remember the dead, I will remember those close to me who have died , those who died loved and those who died unloved. Every soul is worthy of memory – this is the Sunday of All Souls.

I am not deserting Wesley’s Chapel and look forward to hearing my partner sing at its morning service. It is the tide of “all saints” on Tuesday November 1st and “all souls ” on Wednesday November 2nd.

Halloween

Halloween is not tonight, it is tomorrow night (October 31st) the “een” or “evening” before “All Saints” or “All Hallows”. It is a night of mischief making and of revelry – Robert Burns ended his Halloween poem with the memory of his fellows

Wi’ merry sangs, and friendly cracks,
I wat they didna weary;
And unco tales, and funny jokes,
Their sports were cheap and cheery;
Till butter’d so’ns, wi’ fragrant lunt,
Set a’ their gabs a-steerin’;
Syne, wi’ a social glass o’ strunt,
They parted aff careerin’
Fu’ blythe that night.

It was in that spirit that 100,000 souls descended on the party district Seoul.

I will remember all souls and all saints tomorrow and hope to have a fine time of it tomorrow night. In life we are in death.