Glowing Books

Glowing Books!

 ‘It never ceases to amaze me how many times we are guided to go to shelves of books and the book we require virtually pops out at us’. (Quote from a letter I once received from a lady in North Lancashire.) How I agree! Here is an example.

 Peter Abelard was the title of the first book given to me by Bob, who was later to become my husband. A biographical novel by Helen Waddell, it was based on the true story of Abelard, a 12th century theologian at the Paris College of Notre-Dame, who fell in love with his young pupil, Heloise. As a result of the ensuing scandal, the lovers had to separate, but years later, as Abbot and Abbess, they continued to correspond with each other.

 To tell you the truth, I suspected that Bob used this book, set in France, as a means of chatting me up! I was the new French teacher at the school where he taught English. But four decades on, this book is still a precious souvenir of that time of courtship!

Years later, when we took our three children to Paris, we asked our daughter Linda to take a photo of us sitting beside the Seine, with Notre-Dame Cathedral in the background. A strangely timeless photograph, as no other human beings are visible anywhere, it is another little reminder of the beginning of our romance.

There were only five days between my birthday and Bob’s, at the beginning of September. One September day a few years after his death, I was walking up the Sandgate in Ayr, thinking sadly about how we always used to exchange presents at that time.

 Suddenly I was stopped in my tracks. I ‘heard’ a series of commands.
 “Stop! Cross the road!”
 I was startled and puzzled, but I obeyed.
“Go into the bookshop. Turn left. Now turn back to the shelves beside the window. Second shelf down. Now, look!”

 As I stared at the row of books, one seemed to ‘glow’. I pulled it out. It was entitled Famous Letters. Still puzzled, I opened it at random – then stared in astonished disbelief.

 I was looking at a letter from Peter Abelard to Heloise, begging her not to be bitter about the fate which had befallen them. Greatly comforted, I bought the book as a “joint birthday present”, and as another precious souvenir!



(Jesus said:'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted' , Matthew 5, v4)