Frank Rumboll's Weblog

Faces of Goodness and Faithful Masks of Sorrow

frankrumboll — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:55:58 +0000

When I was six years old, my father read me Othello. It was particularly meaningful because he had, as editor of the Stratford Series dedicated this edition of Shakespeare’s work to me. I was struck even at that age by the dedication:

Yet there are times when our hands senselessly labouring grow most hateful to us and we would gladly rid us of these burdens…we have such hours, but are drawn back again
By faces of goodness, faithful masks of sorrow,
Honesty, kindness, courage , fidelity,
The love that lasts a life’s time.

The Difficult Land – Edwin Muir

It is a piece of poetry I have memorised over the years and used, as a place of magic, in times of hardship and despair. It is probably also the singular piece of writing which encouraged me to embark on my own journey as a poet. I often wonder if my father knew even at that stage that he would have a child beset by imaginings and intensity.

When my father went through his own nighttime of the soul, I wrote a poem for him.

A Song of Hope

When deceit is rewarded

When betrayal is customary

When enemies gain power

When dreams are burnt by malice

When the chatter of others is alien

When hope is a foreign thing

When beauty ceases to be gentle

When there are no longer mornings

textured with familiarity

When despair remains despair

Be still and watch at your window

Listen for the sounds of richer times

gathering and conspiring in a revolt

with a might which will flood the mountains

and overthrow this season

I thnk that in this way we have used words to support the idea of one another. And it has been for me, a truly wonderful celebration which I hope we have years more to craft, together.

What my father has taught me

frankrumboll — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:23:24 +0000

I decided to create this blog for my dad for his birthday in the hope that this would be an interesting space for him to play in. One of the greatest gifts my dad has given me is a deep respect for Irreverence and the importance of Play in my own thinking. I am not saying that I always get it right; and am often reminded of those wise women from a certain Navaho tribe who are left alone for a year to think and impart only one message per year – the one which impacted on me profoundly was the one which said ,”Don’t take it personally. Or as my dad would say, “Don’t take it to kop.”

I am blessed to have a father who is also a mentor for me in terms of my thinking and engagement in the world. I am responsible for forecasting new trends in Executive Education for UCT GSB and it is often the links and e mails sent by my dad which allow me to start mapping the fragments of perception and perspective together and build programmes which have relevance and meaning for our market.

But more than the irreverence and play and the genuine ‘content’ pieces he sends me, the gift which I am the most gratefuly for is that of Gallasenheit – a concept he explained to me a number of years ago which is built on Heidegger’s notion of letting things be. I am one of those restless souls who likes to drive things and have found in my experience that it is often Away that I do the driving to. With Gallasenheit, I have an understanding which allows me to accept that the Universe does give back if you let it; if you let things be. Not for ever but for there to be enought time for a response. It has proven an invaluable talisman on my journey. Thanks Nnagh. Elaine

Welcome to Frank Rumboll’s Blog!

frankrumboll — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 09:46:17 +0000

This site has been created with love for Frank Rumboll by his daughter, Elaine. It is her hope that he will be sharing some of his valuable and fascinating insights around Health, Leadership, Language, Philosophy, Culture, and Food here. The first couple of posts will be submitted on his behalf from emails the regular emails that he sends out to his family. This is, of course, a temporary measure until a) we inform him that he has a blog, and b) we teach him how to post to it himself!

Dad, if you discover this before your birthday leave a comment:-D