What’s large and yellow and makes dogs bark?

There was a point this summer when we heard our dog barking furiously in the garden.  We went outside to find out what all the noise was about – and it was worth it!  Dibley had seen something large and yellow.  It was hovering in the sky and it bothered him.  The sun had made a rare appearance!!

 

As I write, the schools are back and so, naturally, the weather has improved.  We’re enjoying a classic late summer/early autumn.  I like it when it’s like this -  the cool mornings, the clear blue skies and low sun of autumn (when we get them), the way the leaves change colour and the final fling of flowers in the garden. 

 

Light and colour are important at this time of year.  They have an added quality that seems to stand out more than usual no matter what the weather.  And as the days get shorter and the nights begin to get longer light becomes more important.

 

Of course, this year, our experience of electric light may be a little different as old light bulbs are gradually replaced with those that are more energy- efficient.  The new bulbs may be a fraction slower to get warmed up but will still do the job of lighting our rooms on dark days well.

 

This year many of us have been carrying extra burdens – anxiety about work, money, exams and unexpected changes in life, or worry about our family, friends or ourselves.  Difficult times can make us feel as if we’re wading through extreme darkness. But they can also be times when extraordinary goodness can stand out like an unexpected but very welcome shaft of light.  On an international stage we actually see this happening in countless television news stories which show individuals helping at the site of a disaster or atrocity.  But on a personal level  it can shine through the kindness of a friend or neighbour, a helpful conversation with a stranger – and the  experience can make us  feel as if we are standing fully in that light’s beam.  The warmth of such encounters gives us hope for a better future in our personal bad time and can also eventually help us to bring hope to others in theirs.  Although we often don’t know it’s happening, because we hardly ever know the effect we’ve had on someone else, each person has the capacity to be a light-bearer for another.  This is one of the ways God uses us. 

Lydia Avery