Getting back to something like normal

The COVID pandemic and my two bouts of cancer (the removal of a cancerous polyp in my colon that led to my colostomy, followed by my current prostate cancer) has meant that my involvement in Freemasonry has been severely curtained over the past two and a half years. During that time I have managed to go to a couple of Masonic meetings, but yesterday was the first one I have attended since I was told that my prostate cancer was pretty well dormant.

I am the treasurer of the Veritatem Sequere* Lodge No.9615, and yesterday saw the Installation of our new Worshipful Master into the Chair of King Solomon. For the first time in a long time I was able to attend a meeting without any concerns that my colostomy or prostate would ‘play up’ during the proceedings in the lodge room or at the Festive Board, which is what Masons call the after-meeting meal.

The crest of the Veritatem Sequere Lodge No.9615.

The Veritatem Sequere Lodge is almost unique in that it is what is termed a research lodge. Unlike most other Masonic lodges, the main work done during the meeting is the presentation of a lecture or talk by a member of the lodge or a distinguished visitor. The subject of the presentation is on a Masonic topic that he has researched. On this occasion, after the Installation of the incoming Worshipful Master he gave a presentation entitled ‘French Freemasonry, a brief examination of the similarities, the differences and the reasons'.

Traditionally, attendees and visitors don't ask questions about what they have heard until after the Festive Board has finished, and this session can often last longer than the actual presentation.

The meeting was held in Radlett, Hertfordshire, and it took me about ninety minutes to get there by car ... and about the same time to get home, even though the first journey was made during the run up to the rush hour on the M25. I had a great time, all the more so for the reaction I had from the members who were there. They have been following the progress of my cancers and my treatment with interest and were extremely pleased to see that I was now well enough to fully return to fill my office in the Lodge.

Yesterday marked another step on the road back to normality, and I hope that it will be the first of many.

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*Veritatem Sequere means ‘follow the truth’.