BRIAN DAMERELL writes in appreciation of Michael Glickman’s mighty column…


I felt that I just had to write an appreciation of Michael Glickman's latest 'Voice of Reason'. How does he do it? Every time I start 'wandering a bit' he pops up and writes a piece that very quickly puts me back on track... C'mon Michael, I'll race you to the end!

I have read the latest ‘Voice of Reason’ article from Michael Glickman with a great deal of interest and I like to think that I qualify as one of those who are gently swimming in the swirling currents of the sometimes turbulent waters of crop circle studies. At present I find myself, oft-times, out of my depth and I admit to being quite possibly tempted to join some of those on the bank. But it is at times like these that I take a good long look at what I am trying to achieve by showing interest in the beautiful patterns appearing annually in the fields.

What have I learned in three years of involvement? Well, I think I have learned a good deal, not necessarily about crop circles, but an enormous amount about myself.

I am not afraid to declare that my life has changed considerably. “Oh here we go” I hear many of you groan, “another one who has seen the light!” I’m sorry but I haven’t seen the light and I haven’t become all religious suddenly… but I have changed. I have started to believe in myself and, if someone has a reason to worry, I will listen to them and, if they require it, I attempt to help in some way.

This does not mean that I have become a fully qualified counsellor in matters of the heart or health or marriage guidance. What it does mean to me is that I am willing to talk to, talk with and listen carefully to what is being said.

I remember one evening a couple of years ago when Michael Glickman came to Kent to talk to us about the appearances of formations and drew our attention to the detail. He also pointed us in the direction of the possible “meanings” which lay behind the geometry. The message from Michael was loud and clear: “look at the pictures… it doesn’t matter where they come from, just be grateful that they are coming!” I can hear his words on another occasion when I visited him in Wiltshire and he reiterated the message and then added, “Draw them, draw them and get to know them intimately”. The exercise did me good. The completion of the task is sometimes rubbish… but I try!

Another change that has occurred is in not being disappointed if things don’t happen when they ‘should’. We have had a couple of good meditation sessions to see if we could encourage a formation to appear near us in Kent (well, it saves on petrol money if we can go locally). We think we have been fairly successful… but who knows? Perhaps the formations were coming anyway! We even tried to influence the shape and pattern. We possibly had a modicum of success, depending on your viewpoint, but not enough to convince me that we’d cracked it and were now in direct contact with the circlemakers

I try to promote anything to do with crop circles by interacting with local radio and the odd letter to the editor of the local paper when one of his reporters gets the wrong end of the stick, and I’ve noticed that neighbours are getting less shy about raising the subject when we meet, so something’s going right. These are some of the reasons I haven’t given up swimming in the turbulent waters and I always keep an eye open for Michael swimming by on another mission to keep me on the straight and narrow.