Free to go...... almost!

Sorry I am late putting up this morning's blog. It is a long story!

Well today is the day we can travel more than our allotted five miles and I know many people have already been creeping out as bit more, if only to get to the supermarket of choice! But seriously how many of you have made a conscious decision to travel further today? Are you excited by the prospect of seeing what is out there and the visible changes. Have you listened to the Government and decided you will only travel as necessary and still keep within the five miles if at all possible? Do you feel fearful about going out anywhere still?

In many ways giving us freedom to do things stirs up all sorts of reactions, worries and fears. the number of people having nightmares about things to do with lockdown and the following of the rules is huge, as is the number of people with sleep issues. We can now journey - travel maybe not with accommodation just yet, maybe not with pubs open and tea shops, but we do have some freedom and take outs are very good. We can journey but - where?

We can now be pilgrims outside again, journeying in faith to our holy destination. Life is sacred and our travels can reflect it. What about the pilgrimages we had started planning as a parish, the pilgrimage to the chapel at Henllan, the pilgrimage to St David's? The pilgrimages to the sacred in the North, South, East and West and furthermore the pilgrimage within our homes and in our very selves. The pilgrimage to change and discovery.

Thirteen Orchids - John Randall

It was just a few weeks ago that these familiar slopes were covered in blue

shimmering with the old bells - not those armada invaders.

Now there are odd reminders of what was there,

azure dots in a rising tide of bracken.

It always surprises me that when the bracken is on the move, it climbs so fast.

Soon it will be head high and tracks I know well

will become difficult as I struggle to keep my head above the green.

This morning the tide was still coming in,

I know it will get higher but bracken like the sea

has its own rhythm - it will not be high tide forever.

I counted thirteen orchids amid the green,

like cowries hiding amongst the pebbles.

Orchids have their season too - they come and go.

But they reminded em today that when the bracken threatens to overwhelm,

there are surprises waiting to be glimpsed beneath our feet.

I must keep my eye out for orchids, treasure easy to miss.

The butterfly a sign of resurrection journeys too in its brief life the metamorphosis of egg to beautiful butterfly. The pilgrimage from the familiar and safe to a destination which transforms us and we are changed forever more.

Diane's young seven year old grandson has been breeding and releasing butterflies as part of a school project/task. He has recorded this in a fascinating video and in this photograph.

"My smallest grandson age 7 has been looking after butterflies this month and first he had painted lady butterfly eggs and then this beautiful peacock.  He releases them in their riverside garden in Chiswick and I am sure is populating the area singlehanded!  The eggs come from the internet and he has a proper hibernating net cage where they spend their time hatching, being caterpillars, pupating and hatching into these wonderful creatures.  I hope you can open the video of him releasing them!"

We can travel again and we will journey again either for practical reasons or to pilgrimage in faith and discovery. We shall be caught up in the excitement of this seven year old, as we change and transform the richer for lockdown though it may not feel it presently. The closer we draw to God in Christ and the faith we want to share with others.

Let us go on another journey, not with dinosaurs, but with a beautifully played piece of music from the well loved Piano Guys. Hope you enjoy this.