Rector - Revd. Teresa Townsend

Dear Friends,

As I put the finishing touches to this Rambling from the Rectory, we’ve just had a short burst of rain, with the possibility of a little more during the week. It’s still July, and I do wonder what the weather will be like in August as so many families head off on their holidays.

I began writing this while on holiday at the end of June. We had lovely, warm weather – sometimes a bit too warm – but we adjusted our activities each day to keep Bladon, our dog, cool and safe. We were treated to some amazing views as we travelled along the east coast of Suffolk and Norfolk and a little inland. Every place we stayed at had water nearby – the Norfolk Broads, the sea, or other rivers.

One of my holiday reads was a book gifted to me that had water at its heart. It followed generations of people around the world, all somehow connected by the presence and fragility of the same drop of water that they came into contact within their lives, even though they were unaware themselves. I haven’t finished it yet – there's less time for reading now I’m home – but I know it will be one I return to again once it’s completed.

It’s quite something, watching a single drop of rain trickle down a windowpane and realising that drop has existed as long as the world itself. That same drop may have reached mountaintops, deep oceans, secret caves; it may have formed clouds, glaciers and waterfalls. Water is always on the move, always part of something bigger. 

Water plays an important role in my own life. I don’t do water sports or sail, but I love to sit and watch water – to breathe and rest by it. It changes constantly, depending on the weather. It slows me down and settles me – I gain a sense of peace that is very soothing.

Yet it can also be incredibly powerful and dangerous, as we've seen in recent flash floods in parts of America. We must never be complacent about the force water can exert. It can be unforgiving when it cuts a path through land or community. We must treat it with respect.

That same respect is needed in our gardens. While we were away, my brother kindly watered our plants. The flowers have mostly persevered, and the vegetables haven’t been a complete disaster. Having a hose has helped speed things up, but we’re careful not to overuse water. The grass in the front and back gardens is looking very yellow and dry. I’m not too worried about the front lawn or kitchen garden, but I do miss the green of the cottage garden area – still, it is what it is.

I have to admit, I love warm, sunny weather – it’s my favourite – but even I know how much we need the rain. Many people are praying for rain to come. Our riverbeds are drying out and crops are suffering. People sometimes ask me to pray for rain, as if I have a more direct line to God – which I don’t! I’m just one ordinary person. I do believe those prayers are heard, but perhaps not answered in the time or place we expect.

So whether this August we find ourselves short of rain or weary of too much (difficult to predict in mid-July), I hope water gives you a moment to pause in wonder. It is a remarkable element – life-giving, ever-moving, humbling – and essential to all creatures who share this beautiful world.

 

With every blessing,
 

Teresa