One small step out of lockdown!

A round trip of 260 miles to visit daughter the elder, for two hours, in her front garden for a picnic and a cuppa: no hugs but three out of five grandchildren turn up. The week before, a round trip of 160 miles to see daughter the younger, again in her front garden for tea and cake and a walk in the park opposite with dogs in tow: no reunion with the other two grandchildren this time as both working, but oh what a treat! This week I hear we can open churches for folk to pop into for private prayer- no details received yet- and at last I am told I can visit my sister in her care home after three months of not being able to see her, despite the fact that she has been in hospital following a stroke. Gown, gloves and mask but even so......Halleluiah!!!

What a wonderful lift to my soul, being able to actually see family in the flesh and not on some computer screen. The yearning we have to touch and see our families is all consuming. Our need to be in fellowship with others is pivotal to the human condition and oh how I miss meeting in church to worship and give thanks with my fellow Christians. Meeting in church via Zoom, on the internet, is no substitute for meeting together in God's own house but it is so much better than not meeting to worship at all.

So, let us remember in these initial days of release that not all folk have families. Not all folk are able to get out, even when lockdown ends completely and not all folk in the world have had the privilege to self isolate - even if they wanted or were instructed to do so. We have a lot to be grateful for in this country of ours. No, it is not perfect. No, we haven't always got it right but most peoples in this land are decent, hard working citizens, no matter what colour, creed or nation they are from and it is up to every single one of us to ensure that our children & grandchildren are given the chance to grow up in a safe, fair & sustainable environment.

We are the caretakers of this world, not the owners, and we need to cherish & look after it. God bless everyone - We are all getting nearer to meeting again. Rev Carol