So, 2 conversations:

1st, someone said they couldn’t wish people a Happy New Year. ‘There are so many awful things happening across the world’. I said ‘we don’t hear about the good things’ because I’m a vicar.

2nd, I thought I ought to do the dog walk one afternoon. Walking a bit begrudgingly I stopped and was cheered by happy chat with a neighbour. As we parted, she said ‘Enjoy your walk’. As I moved on up the hill, I realised I hadn’t thought to enjoy it. I determined to look about me. It was 4 o clock and the first thing that I noticed was that it was still light. My walk was beautiful.

As February begins to stretch our days, I want to encourage us all (myself included) to look about and greet the blessings of the light. Following my own advice hear are some of mine….

The New Years diet, kicked firmly into the long grass by the Seville orange. Marmalade Season! Yeay!
The intrepid song of robins everywhere and snow drops – both courageous.
More vitamin D – perhaps not to have a cold? Washing on the line?

I could go on but my point is these blessings of the Light are precious and easily taken for granted. For Christians and many faiths Light symbolises the source of all that is good. And so other things strike me. Listening to the news about the struggling NHS, I wondered about the statistics of what is achieved – the number of babies safely delivered, successful operations, bones mended, medicines our grandparents wouldn’t have dreamt of etc etc. Also, our politicians. Some may not like how they do things – but they are people who try to serve us and not for their own ends. And despite its many failings we still have the church. A place where each week, all are welcome, people mind about us and gather to try and align with what is good. Also, I heard that something like 60% of people in the UK now understand Climate Change to be the most important thing to be acted upon. Finally! Really, we are privileged to live in this land.

So many blessings of the Light. What are yours?