At last, the grass gets cut

I've no idea what the weather statisticians will declare about this summer but my memory of summer 08 will be one of rain.

But not today. I've managed to get outside and cut the grass and both the garden and I look and feel better for it.

I am one of those people who needs to spend time outside now and again. Having spent much of the past two decades in front of a machine, physical activity holds an appeal to me. Not in a macho sense - I'm hardly a good example of biceps and the like. No, it's something to do with being connected with my humanness in relation to my environment. Cutting the grass, digging the garden, even cleaning the car can help put me in touch with who I am. Scribbing away at a keyboard doesn't quite achieve that.

Compared with my grandparents we now live in an indoors culture. Just think how often you go out in all types of weather without a coat. A mac's not needed if you've only got to walk to the car.

This growing detatchedness from the physical world has a price attached to it. As we become separated from the world we also become separated from one another. Let's not pretend that email, MSN, facebook or blogging improve communication between people. It might increase the number of networks we connect with. But communication is different. For that you need to see, touch, hear and smell.

I've never done this, but it would be interesting to analyse the gospels according to whether the events they describe took place indoors or outdoors. I have a suspicion, the gospels came to life in the open air. Perhaps we do too.