Richard's Ramblings

  So today, as I type this, is Leisa’s and my wedding anniversary. It was a mad mad wedding weekend in 1990. I landed in Brisbane from UK on Friday morning, we went straight downtown to buy our rings (we had been apart, Leisa in Australia, me in UK, for months, this was our first ring-shopping opportunity.) Then to church to rehearse a solo, Bach’s “Jesu, Joy” with the organist, Leisa’s aunt, because I was to sing at Leisa’s sister’s wedding the next day, Saturday. Leisa in the meanwhile was doing what chief bridesmaids have to do to help her sister prepare. Then Saturday, her sister’s wedding. Then Sunday, our wedding - Leisa’s sister was matron of honour. Wednesday, we flew back to UK. Phew. We’re barely getting over it 32 years later. Now because we bought our rings in such a hurry, they never really fitted properly. Mine certainly didn’t. After my father died, I kept his wedding ring in a box. Then just a few years ago, since I’ve been at Kirwan, I thought to myself, I wonder if a

  “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 As a 5 year old (of course, as any child does when asked their age, I would have expressed it 5¾) I watched the Coronation on a flickering black and white television screen, no bigger than today’s mobile phones, contained within a wooden cabinet the size of a grandmother clock. So Queen Elizabeth has been a part of my background consciousness for pretty well all of my life. I never met her, nor even, like Sir Robert Menzies, saw “her passing by”. But my grammar school was founded by her illustrious forebear and namesake, she was Patron of my universities, she was “graciously pleased” to grant my Army and Royal Naval Reserve Commissions,