I grew up within an hour’s drive of ‘Big Ben’. Before the days of congestion charging or any proper understanding of the damage done by pollution caused by internal combustion engines, we used to go by car to concerts in London. It took about an hour to get to the Royal Festival Hall and just a little more to Kensington for the Royal Albert Hall. In my ‘gap year’ (although it was not called that in my day) I was fortunate to go regularly to both and to broaden my classical musical experience.
At Michaelmas in 1981 we moved to Suffolk. Essex had been home for my Mother’s family since just after 1066 we believe, and the other side arrived from Cornwall at the beginning of the twentieth century we think. Grandpa moved farms in 1936 and when we left in 1981 many things had changed. I remember Father saying that he was sure the new incumbent would ‘plough up the Long Meadows’.
Farmers are often criticised for their stewardship of the countryside. Some of the criticism is justified, but by no means all of it. I have often shared pictures here of some of the lovely paths and fields around Framlingham but today’s picture is of a lake, not so far from ‘Big Ben’. Far from ploughing up the ‘Long Meadow’ the new custodians, now in the second generation of the family, went to work on a very difficult and wet patch of meadow and created a beautiful spot. On a recent visit, apart from the fish there were herons, ducks, geese and a solitary moorhen not to mention the small birds in the hedges and more.
It is true that together humankind is doing and has done some terrible things to the planet but sometimes it is good to look at the detail and not just the big picture. Revisiting my childhood home, apart from probably being a sign of the onset of second childhood, has been the source of some lovely surprises and reminded me that there are some very good, thoughtful and far sighted people in charge of God’s countryside.
A prayer
God, your farm is all creation and while we confess that sometimes we trespass and do harm, we pray for all the good people trying their best to be good stewards for you. We rejoice in the detail of the big picture, the tranquil spots and places of beauty and joy. May we all do likewise for the sake of the Word, moving on the face of the waters before time began, and then made flesh to live on your farm. Amen.