Column: Pilgrim's Progress: Julian Pursehouse: Our Autumn Days!
It will not have escaped your notice that the world is turning, time passes, and a new season is upon us – all around us we see the sights and sounds of Autumn.
It might be the beautiful golden colours of falling leaves, bronze conkers strewn in the meadow, a certain chill in the air, a shorter passage of daylight, early morning mist, the sight of pumpkins for sale in the supermarket, the switching on of the central heating and perhaps the additional layer that we reach for as we leave the house in the morning. These are the telltale signs of Autumn that signify the passing of summer and the arrival of winter.
Autumn’s transitions are a poignant reminder of the natural cycles of life, death, and rebirth that are at the heart of Creation and the rhythm of nature. This reflection upon change and impermanence can lead to a deeper appreciation for the present moment and the hope of new beginnings. There is a time to relinquish things, like the perpetual fall of Autumn leaves, but equally there are moments of surprising growth and new beginnings. I am always surprised at the growth of wild mushrooms, at this time of year, in the most unlikely places where any growth might seem impossible.
In recent months, I appear to have been inundated with funerals – sometimes people from within the life of churches, but also people in the wider community. On every occasion there has been the collective sadness of saying farewell to someone dearly loved and sorely missed. Sometimes we pass through such seasons, and they are a reminder of impermanence and that life is fleeting – the challenge is always to make the most of the life that we have and live each day fully as though it might be our last.
The coming of the season of Autumn is a reminder to do all the above with hope, faith, and deep appreciation for the gift of all that lies around us and within us.
Julian Pursehouse
Sandal, Crigglestone, Walton, and Newmillerdam Methodists