Dear Friends,
“Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away”
LINKIN PARK
As I write this letter to you, the summer months are almost with us, we have had some beautiful weather in June and the days are getting longer. At the time of writing, we are almost at the easing of most lockdown restrictions, (although this may have been delayed by a few weeks). But hopefully, we will be at the beginning of returning to some kind of new normal. However, I know that some people will continue to be anxious and cautious for some time to come, which is perfectly understandable, and we must do all we can to support and sustain them.
The summer also sees a break from the routine of school runs and we perhaps even take some time from the everyday tasks we might normally do to enjoy the summer. We may now be planning journeys to visit family and friends, or it might just be looking forward to a day trip to the beach, or a picnic in the park. Whatever we do, whatever journeys we intend to make, they need careful planning and thinking about if we, and others, are to reap the full benefits from our holiday times.
Looking after our physical needs is often so much easier than looking after our spiritual needs. Yet these summer months offer us the perfect time to reflect on this part of our lives also. As we take a break from our normal routines and duties, and hopefully begin to put the stresses of the pandemic behind us, it allows us to take a look at where God is in our lives, and in the lives of others around us.
There is a quote which I have to remind myself off and which often brings me up short when I realise I have not planned or allowed any time for myself for a while, and it goes like this: “Life is a journey, it’s not where you end up but it’s how you got there”
Every journey we make in whatever form they take are important. Each journey has the ability to change us and to shape us..
So perhaps this time of year is a good time to take stock of where we are and, if necessary, make plans for our next journey which might even end up taking us in a different direction, to wherever that may lead. And we shouldn’t put it off, or tell ourselves we’ll do it next month, or next year.
We all need to take time off, whether at home or away, to allow ourselves that all important time to relax and refresh.
As Sri Sri Ravi Shankar wrote –
“Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much of each to have.”
So, over these summer months I pray that there will be space and time for each one of you to take a look at your journey.
With love and blessings,
Rev Mandy Xx