Dear kith and kin,
There were plenty of sad tidings circulating around this planet in 2021. How have they affected you, we wonder? We are separated by physical distance more than ever. Our love goes out to you, one and all.
Daniel Hoi-Kyin, a much-loved Burmese member of the Ledger family, died this year in Rangoon. It was COVID-19 that his elderly body found too much to handle. He was surrounded by the prayers of many faraway while being cared for others close-by during his last days. Daniel became a ‘son and brother’ to the Ledgers more than 60 years ago when he trained as an Anglican priest in Brisbane, spending weekends in Toowoomba. He returned to Burma in 1962 where he served for his whole life in difficult circumstances, including as Bishop of Pa-an. We are glad that he was always surrounded by the love of many.
Gladness in the midst of sorrow and struggle is our theme for this epistle. Here are some of our moments of joy in the year. Our glad tidings! We don’t use the word ‘tidings’ much. According to the dictionary, it is a plural noun meaning ‘news’. The same dictionary told us that there is also a singular noun ‘tiding’ meaning ‘a group of magpies’.
After some failed first attempts we managed to travel to Toowoomba, Melbourne and Perth for book launches of my biography, Who Is This Vernon Cornish?, published by Geoff and first launched in Canberra in late 2020. A Brisbane launch went ahead in our absence, with the help of friends, and the Hobart one has been tentatively rescheduled for March 2022. We have been thrilled with the book’s reception.
The winter was spent quietly at home. The women of Holy Cross church were able to navigate COVID restrictions to gather for a much-needed winter retreat by the shores of Lake George. This often dry lakebed had been steadily filling as the wet weather continued. In fact SE Australia has had a lot of wet, mild weather since early 2020—an extended La Niña—a welcome reprieve, though interspersed with some damaging storms.
A two-month lockdown, August to October, gave us the space we needed to bring to publication a compilation of some writings of Vernon Cornish, a task that his wife Dell had begun. It is called The Dean’s Pen. Both books can be ordered at www.geoffandchris.com/gandc. Geoff is now finishing another publication, a riveting biography of a friend's father, a Ukrainian refugee. This reminded us how wars continue to generate refugee stories today. These stories are important.
The day before the lockdown was announced, our feline friend Polly met her peaceful death. Her thyroid and then kidneys had been failing for some months. We were glad that her gentle vet was able to help her on her way before access to the clinic was restricted.
Geoff had recovered well from his heart attack of a January 2021. On 11 January 2022, we celebrated his 80th birthday—a minor miracle in his eyes. The summer holidays brought travel chaos so it was not a practical time to invite family from around the country—but Zoom enabled the joy of connection.
New life! In 2021, we celebrated the arrival of Levi, a new great-nephew (number 41 of our great-nephews and great-nieces.)
Of course, the glad tidings of the Christmas carol spoke of the birth of Jesus. May faith, hope and love continue to nourish us. May reconciliation with the original custodians of this land embrace us all. And may Levi and his generation witness the healing of our world with much gladness and joy.
With our love,
Chris and Geoff xx