Flowers in the Wind

 

I just went out to get the washing in. It’s been blustery all day with very occasional light rain, but the wind was winning and the clothes are more or less dry. There is now a fine mist of rainfall so not worth putting out any more. It feels like autumn, far to early. The leaves on the forsythia are russet brown and my Michaelmas daisies are out. The lilac flowers look lovely among the yellow and orange calendula. I even have autumn crocus in full bloom. The fuschia under the Christmas tree is looking lovely. We thought it had been smothered to death by an over enthusiastic bramble, but my husband cleared that this spring and found the fuschia alive and well. It’s from the garden of our first hime. We brought it with us when we came so it’s at least 35 years old.

 

The leaves have been turning for a while now, in fact there were a few golden ones when we went to Shropshire in early August. I don’t remember autumn coming this early before. We usually holiday in September and have good weather. I remember once sitting on the beach at Saundersfoot in the last week of September on a hot sunny day surrounded by golden leaved trees on the cliffs above. That was unusually late for beach weather but we had hoped for some next week. We are going to Devon for four days next Monday. We will be staying at Brixham, a place I’ve never visited, probably almost the only part of Devon I haven’t visited!

 

 

In the midst of all of this I have been thinking about the date and remembering that terrible day ten years ago. I remember thinking, perhaps a few days later, wouldn’t it be a beautiful memorial to all of those people who died if we tried to respond by trying to bring peace to the world, if we finally realised that causing suffering like that was wrong, not just when it happens to us and no matter what the cause. But no, we responded by starting another war, killing more innocent people, albeit along with some guilty ones, causing other families to go through what the families of those in the twin towers felt. Then we had the attacks in London and the other places and so it goes on, tit for tat, as my mother used to say.

 

I hope this doesn’t upset any one. It isn’t meant to. I am well aware that I have not lost anyone from terrorism, but I did see an inspiring television programme a few years back about a family whose little boy was killed by the IRA and how they have devoted their rest of their lives to working for peace in his name and have forgiven those who killed him.

I just read on someone elses diary a reminder that Jesus’ last words on the cross were to forgive those who put him there. Perhaps that is too much to ask, but could we start, like the boys parents, by concentrating on building peace. Because the other way just isn’t working.

 

And now the sun is out again, so I might risk putting out more washing after all, and then spend a little time in the garden before the promised hurricane arrives tonight!

 

 

I wanted to post a video of a song which I feel is so appropriate for today, but I can’t figure out how to do it, so here are the lyrics instead :-

Rhymes and Reasons – John Denver

 

So you speak to me of sadness
And the coming of the winter
Fear that is within you now
It seems to never end
And the dreams that have escaped you
And the hope that you’ve forgotten
You tell me that you need me now
You want to be my friend

And you wonder where we’re going
Where’s the rhyme and where’s the reason
And it’s you cannot accept
It is here we must begin
To seek the wisdom of the children
And the graceful way of flowers in the wind

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Would clear a cloudy day
Like the music of the mountains
And the colours of the rainbow
They’re a promise of the future
And a blessing for today

Though the cities start to crumble
And the towers fall around us
The sun is slowly fading
And it’s colder than the sea
It is written from the desert
To the mountains they shall lead us
By the hand and by the heart
They will comfort you and me
In their innocence and trusting
They will teach us to be free

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Would clear a cloudy day
And the song that I am singing
Is a prayer to non believers
Come and stand beside us
We can find a better way

And here is the link to the video

youtu.be/Cn54tAIRBAM