Bridges and Tangents is one year old today. 365 days, 190 posts, 1500 tags, goodness knows how many words. You can read the first post here – about ‘wonder’ in Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead. Amazing how a hesitant step into the unknown future quickly becomes a moment of nostalgia. The exhilarating adventure of ‘being-for-itself’, as Sartre would say, of reaching beyond, easily slips into the familiarity of ‘being-in-itself’ – the world that we know and depend on.
San Francisco, Bay Bridge
I am not seeking comments or accolades here, just letting you know that I intend to keep going, for now. Blogging in this way is simply part of life for me now. I enjoy the excuse to think (if one were needed) and to write; every now and then I’m delighted with a discovery and get huge satisfaction from sharing it; and the rhythm of reflection and writing isn’t too time consuming. The danger is that something once fresh will become staid; I’ll just have to watch out for that, and perhaps circumstances – or some new form of social communication – will take over before then.
Ancient clapper bridge over the East Dart River at Postbridge
The effects are still largely unknown, but it’s good to get feedback and conversation in the comments, and when I bump into people who have come across the blog. Thanks especially to those who have been reading regularly, to those who have recommended the blog to others, and to those who have taken the time to comment.
Tangent by Whatknot
To celebrate, as you can see, I’ve hunted out some beautiful images of bridges and tangents.
Tangents by Seth Anderson
Let’s see how it all develops over the next few months.
Happy birthday Bridges and Tangents.
Congratulations Fr Stephen, I Love your blog.
I read only 3 blogs daily and I Love each of them for similar and different reasons. I have been following your blog for six months now, but only brave enough to comment for 3ish. Its amazing how quickly you become fond of other peoples quirks and comments, everybody is so inspiring. Maybe you should have a B & T gathering!
Thank you so much for all the ecliptic thoughts, ideas. stimuli, and teachings, but mostly for the opportunity to allow people to be courageous in their responses. Bless You.
Pheww! When I saw that headline, I thought, “Oh no, he’s saying that one year was enough …”. I would really miss this horizon-widening, thought-provoking link with the world outside of Cornwall :)
Thank you for keeping these old grey cells twitching, God bless you Father.
Dear Fr Stephen,
What a feat to have kept a year of insights blogging for a year! I don’t manage to catch all of them, but those I do never fail to interest. I’ve just taken a peak today after a long summer break. It’s a brilliant idea, broadening the imagination of anyone who reads them. I rarely read a paper these days, so your blog keeps me in touch with current interests and I love the mix of literary, artistic, cinematic etc comment. Thanks for all the effort.
Yes indeed, Happy Birthday to Bridges and Tangents and many, many thanks to you Father Stephen for starting the blog and deciding to continue with it. Through reading the blog, my intelectual and cultural horizons have been broadened quite a lot to say the least. Forgive my repetition of an earlier post, but my circumstances prevent me getting to a great many of the events you discuss, therefore you have made me aware of them and, in some cases, this awareness has prodded me to explore them further. Other posts have helped me to think more deeply and clearly about what our Church teaches and I feel better for this. I look forward every day or two to reading each new post and to sharing views with you and the other readers
So, many, many thsnks and I look forward to reading more of the same.
By the way, yours is the only blog I actually subscribe to, although I do dip into one other which doesn’t appear so frequently.
congratulations and i am delighted to know you will keep on ‘blogging’ Fr Stephen …….
I dont know if it is just my tired old computer but all the apps on your blog twitter platform, facebook etc etc etc has drastically slowed down your page and is interfearing with the comments link.
I wonder if anyone else is experiencing problems?
Thanks for the feedback – anyone else experiencing problems? I’ll see what others say, and change things if necessary
Test comment
Father Stephen:
Your blog is the only one I have ever read and/or followed, and I look forward to reading what you have to say. It is so nice to have an intelligent and thoughtful piece to read, and I do hope that you continue.
I have had no problems with speed on the page, or any problems with links.
Thank you again.
I love the picture of the clapper bridge at Postbridge, a favourite place of mine which we often visited when I used to live in Plymouth. Thank you for the blog, and for starting my own blogging.
I’ve never seen a clapper bridge myself; or at least I can’t remember seeing one. I hear that many of them may be hundreds of years old. I must go on a pilgrimage one day to find some.
Comgratulation.I am regular reader and ~I love your blog,you should write every day, churita agridulce.