Carol Purves

In Great Britain we have had pandemic restrictions of one sort or another for over a year. Although the end is in sight we are not there yet. Many other countries are still experiencing further limitations. A year plus seems a very long time. How will we cope when things return to ‘normal?’ Will we take up where we left off? What will be lost for ever? Are there things which will look to be an improvement? But remember it’s only a few months we’re talking about.

The children of Israel had forty of those times. Forty years wandering in the wilderness. Forty years since they’d fled from Egypt and left everything behind, both good and bad. Unlike us, those who left Egypt never entered the promised land. The Israelites did not always behave well. Have there been times during this last year when we haven’t behaved well? We have been depressed, selfish, downcast and despairing.

Let us concentrate on the future. What have we learned? What will we do better in the future? Brighter days are ahead. May we contribute to a better world.

I had a most blessed time by taking part in a sunrise service on Easter Sunday. In normal times about 100 people meet at the local cemetery to worship early on Easter Sunday morning. There is a stunning view over our city and a wonderful feeling of Christian fellowship.

This was not allowed this year. Instead just five of us met in our local park. As we worshipped I tried to use all my senses to fully appreciate the atmosphere. There were only five of us, we sang out loud, prayed and communed together. It wasn’t strictly ‘sunrise’ as there was no sun evident. At 6.15 am it was cold ,also very cold. As the only glove-wearer I was a little warmer.

The birds were swirling around above a nearby clump of trees. The river was flowing swiftly by. A slight mist hung over everything. Our service was a wonderful witness, but there was no-one around to witness it.

It was a sunrise service such as I’ve never experienced before. As I worshipped and praised I realised I would remember this morning until the end of my days. And then I got to thinking how many more Easters would I celebrate. At my age not a tremendous number. That’s OK. I will one day be celebrating Easter in heaven, in fact I will be celebrating it BECAUSE of Easter. He is risen indeed.

Our sleep patterns can be disturbed in these troubling times. I have been annoyed that regularly I wake up at 5.00 am. It seems such a waste of sleep time. I need six or seven hours sleep every night. As I suffer from ME lack of sleep can be quite serious.

Then one morning I lay there at this early hour, frustrated because sleep wouldn’t come. Then I listened. The dawn chorus was in full swing. So many birds were singing their hearts out. I lay there, fully awake and just listened. Then the singing quietened and I must have dozed off. But within twenty minutes I was awake again listening. The birds were back with their singing.

Now I look forward to five in the morning. The peace that I get from this chorus is worth any amount of sleep. I eventually get up refreshed and praising God. Not a bad way to start the day.

As a youngster I hated the 1st April. I always seemed to be the butt of the jokes. In a way it made me popular, but I was very uncomfortable with it. The origins of this day where practical jokes and pranks are played on the unsuspecting are not clear. One thought is that it started when the Georgian calendar was introduced and as some people were not aware of it they were recording the wrong date.

As I do every year, I shall try to avoid other people until 12 o clock. Not a difficult thing to do this year! (Can this whole virus be a practical joke?)

In England we have our first easing of lockdown. We are now allowed to have up to six people from two different households in our gardens,

I wondered how I could celebrate this. So this is what I’ve done. On my gate I’ve placed a notice saying ‘Welcome.’ Then in my fairly small front garden I’ve placed three garden chairs, well spaced out.

I’m hoping they will be used by neighbours, friends, passers by and dog walkers. Not quite sure what to do about drinks, but have a tin of sweets and biscuits ready. (By the time I’ve made a drink people might nave moved on) I already have two booking this week. So exciting.

(Welcome to all my friends from Australia, it was great to talk with you last evening)

I know I’ve said this before but I love seeing the children walking to school. Sometimes they are in groups of four and sometimes two. Occasionally there is a child on his or her own. I do hope that they will be meeting up with their particular friends round the corner. I feel for the lone child, it is so sad if they are lonely at that age.

I remember I used to walk to my primary school with Joy and Michael because they lived near me. When we left that school the friendship stalled because we had nothing else in common. When I went to senior school no-one lived near me, I walked alone. That was lonely. I met up with friends when I got to school but they were already in their own groups.

Loneliness is something that so many people are facing at the moment. I do hope and pray that when some restrictions ease, people will have friendship again.

I have a calendar this year which each month gives a statement about thankfulness. The words for February are ‘there is always something to be thankful for.’

This is true for everyone, especially for Christians. Every morning the sun rises, even if it it blanketed by clouds, fog or rain. It is still there wherever we are in the world. We feel it’s benefits, without it we would not survive. We can be thankful for the rain, without the rain our food would not grow. Whether we get our food from our own country or from round the world, we still need the rain.

We are thankful for human friendship. Of late it has been limited, which means we are more thankful than ever for it. Where would we be without our friends and family. I have a habit of writing down three things every day to be thankful for. It is a good exercise and lifts my spirits.

24th March 2020 was the date of the first lockdown in England. We had no idea what we were in for. Suddenly we couldn’t go where we wanted, see who we wanted or buy what we wanted. We had been used to absolute freedom.

If we wanted to go somewhere, we went. We had various means of transport, car, bus, train or even walk as far as we wanted. We could go to see who we wanted or they could come to us. We never really appreciated that. We could meet them anywhere, our homes, our gardens, the cafe, shops or cinema. We could buy what we wanted where we wanted. On-line shopping was not ideal and we wanted to go to our high streets, to browse, meet friends, or even buy.

Living only nine miles from the border with Scotland I couldn’t see Scottish friends in the street or drive to their houses. Scotland really felt like another country.

Now we are thinking about the last day of the last lockdown. Even that is scary. How will we cope with crowds, how will we feel about driving as far as we want. The first day of the first lockdown to the last day of the last day of the last lockdown, what a lot of painful living has happened in between.

My 2020 diary is out again. It was exactly a year ago that I started making plans to have changes made in my bathroom. The bath had to go (too difficult in get and out), the shower was to be replaced by a walk in one. Then covid struck (that’s not too forceful a word) It took me a long time to find a company to do the job. A few measurements were taken , a quote offered and accepted.

Now silence. Every time I have a shower I long for the alterations to happen. Phone calls are unanswered, letters are ignored. Maybe they have gone out of business. I can’t yet travel to their offices to see what’s happening. I hope cleanliness is not next to godliness!

During lockdown the birds have not stopped flying around and now building their nests. It has been therapeutic to watch them when everything else seems to have stopped.

The dog walkers have still walked past the house, in rain, snow and storms. Twice a day I have enjoyed seeing them on their walks and hoped they wouldn’t leave any dog mess.

What I have missed so much has been the children walking up the road in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Now there’re back. The school is only up the hill, so I see many children of all ages between five and eleven. I lifts my heart twice a day. It is the highlight of my day. I hadn’t realised what a pleasure it was until it was taken away. Oh dear, I suppose that’s like everything in life. We need to give thanks more.