“Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn--that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness--that season which has drawn from every poet worthy of being read some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.”
― Jane Austen, Persuasion
I adore a crisp autumn walk, kicking up multicoloured leaves from the ground and delighting in the sound a frosted pathway makes underneath my feet. However to look up is how to find most of the treasure of the trees , and see the light puddles playing through clouds and branches…..sigh.
This year’s seasons seem to have past us by, almost forgotten as soon as they went. Winter to spring, and summer to autumn. Easter bonnets and summer blazers have hung unused alongside the cancelled holidays and travel plans. It seems quite ghastly to think about the past 6 months;, especially for those who have no idea if their work will continue or their finances be enough. I wonder what the poets that Jane Austen writes of would make of it all. Would they still see the glorious colour changes of autumn as promises that life , like the trees, has a time to be less full, less heavy. Would they write about a time to let the energy of the past quietly fall away, a time to enjoy the glow of fires and the cosy comfort of baggy and saggy warm jumpers and well-worn slippers. Would they wax lyrical about Hot soup and conker fights, muddy knees and leaky wellies that replace the swimsuits and salads?
I do hope that they would still see the richness of life as autumn takes us down the aisle of the year towards winter. I hope too that you are able take a little time to remember 2020 in the snow drops , the daffodils, the catkins, the blossom, the fruit in the orchard, and the harvest of your friends and families time; time to call and chat through windows, over the telephone or perhaps the almost lost art of the hand written letter. It may be odd to write about the harvest as a gift of time, however; time has been what we have all had in abundance this year. More than any other gift, time, is one thing that we can freely give to others, and to ourselves. It isn’t expensive, it definitely isn’t cheap either!
It is just right, and can be adapted to fit all needs. As you walk along this autumn take a little time to remember the good moments of spring and summer 2020, take a little time to be fully present right where you are. Take a deep breath and smile. You are right where you need to be, you have just gone through an extraordinary time on earth, you know more about your community and you survived.

God Bless you +
Reverend Lesley-Ann Craddock
St Mary’s Episcopal Church.