Hello to one and all,
I don't really remember as a child having quite the same zest for nature as I have acquired over the last ten years or so, My first recollection of the garden really only came when I buried my cheap leather football that was probably hand woven by a dreadfully underpaid worker in somewhere like Indonesia or Thailand, through the bottom right hand corner window pane of my parents treasured and blossoming green house, which I recall made me slump to my knees in utter despair only to quickly rise again and to run has far away from the crime scene as physically possible.
I recall making with an old friend potions in his garage that we planned to force feed to his sisters and teachers who offended us for the most pathetic reasons imaginable, we gathered, leaves, slugs, dog poo, yes dog poo from his garden, and somehow poked into one of those 'pop' bottles that had a returnable value to the shopkeeper down the road! We would add to the ingredients pretty much anything we could find in his Dad's garage, so white spirit, out of date paint, nails, screws,petrol, wood stain and pretty much anything else we could find that would bring a long slow and painful death to his beloved sisters. Part of of plan was to let it mature like a single malt whiskey and so somehow that was always our get out clause for never carrying through our infantile plan for homicide!
My next recollection of nature was at the age of about ten. A trip to Whalley scout camp, with a large number of boys I didn't like and my first trip away from 'Mummy' and 'Daddy'. It was not a trip that holds too many happy memories. I knew a hike was planned the following morning and I was anxious about the large gaping hole in my Wellington boots that my parents had deviously chosen to do nothing about. That evening was one of sharing a tent with 5 or 6 flatulent boys, taking nonsense and occasionally flashing their genitals to our 'rival' campers in some sort of tribal war dance. It was only a matter of time before we were reprimanded for our bad behavior and I was humiliated the following evening by leading the camp in a rendition of Ging Gang Gooley Gooler Watcher! But before the singing the hike was upon us and everybody was excited about wading through rivers, going up dale and down yonder, except for me of course. I broke down in tears as the prospect of a flooded wellie and a wet sock, it was too much for my to contemplate and so was sent with an overweight boy, to go and do some modelling with marzipan, with a lady who we had to address as Auntie! I recall making dozens of fruit models and gorging with the 'fat kid' on marzipan until I 'oiked' all over Auntie who was surprisingly supportive.
I don't recall science or nature at all at primary school, the best I can muster is playing marbles in the drains, playing roly poly on the hill and being convinced dandelions made me incontinent!
I recall a school trip to Malham, It rained and I didn't like it. My parents idea of exploring nature was to go for 'a run' in the car. They would find the most awful twisting country lanes, whilst my parents puffed on tobacco, with the windows up that made me feel sicker than a boy stuffing his face on marzipan, I would be absolutely at the point of spewing all over the vinyl seats in my Father's metallic blue, Austin Marina, when we we found a gap in the road where we would sit on unstable deckchairs whilst my mother deposited horse manure in the boot of the car that would 'Be wonderful for her roses'. We would stay much longer than necessary whilst my Dad had a kip, before we would eventually set off home finding the longest route possible. The only treat of the day would be to find a village store, that sold square ice creams!
Not wanting to trawl through every outdoor experience I shall move on, and slowly but surely as I go older I started to enjoy being outside more and more. It probably started with a trip to Mull on the West coast of Scotland, watching wild seals, deer, red squirrels really caught the imagination and on returning home, decided I needed to get out more and so I decided to get a dog. I named him Fletcher after Andy Fletcher from Depeche Mode!
More trips to Scotland followed and I promise you I have seen some of the most stunning places Britain has to offer, trust me we live on a beautiful island! In 2013 I took part in the three peaks challenge to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, Along with some colleagues in just about 24 hours. we climbed Ben Nevis, Scarfell Pike and Mount Snowdon It made me aware of what one could achieve with some hard work and dedication. It also made me think about the vastness of the space that we live in, how small are we in scheme of things?
Often people talk of mountains, and wide open space as being spiritual, and it is although I didn't experience it up some Britain's finest peaks. But I do love being out with my dog, Sometimes i feel like the pied piper as the crows follow me with my big bag of scraps as all food waste go straight to the hungry birds. I take great satisfaction that after me and the dog are on the return leg of our stroll, the scraps have all gone, and the Robin seems slightly fatter than the last time I saw it.
These day I go to Malham, it rains and I love it!
And among all that, I pray, I feel comfortable praying outside, alone, with the dog, the birds, with the occasional glimpse of the deer or a fox and most importantly with God.
Doing what i,m doing, you will not be surprised that prayer has become an important part of daily life, Morning and Evening prayer is conducted in a very structured way and is lovely to know that you are praying alongside fellow Christians worshiping Jesus and giving thanks.
But individual private prayer among God's creation, alongside, the seasons, the lambs, the calves, the flowers, the rain, the wind, and the scenery is very cathartic and spiritual. Being disturbed by the occasional runner, isn't unbearable. I talk out loud, I think of the day ahead, or the day behind, I get things off my chest and pray for family and friends, colleagues and those I don't know. It is simply a space where I find time to be alone (pretty much) in thought and prayer with our savior Jesus Christ.
May I encourage you all to find time to be with God.
Be blessed, all of you.
Alextheanglican!
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