THOUGHTS TO PONDER

Every year for at least the last seven summers we have packed up the car and driven down to Newton-by-the-sea in Northumberland. A beautiful spot, overlooking Dunstanburgh Castle, the fantastic Emblestone sands and natural rocky harbour of Newton itself. Having pushed the overladen wheel barrow along the beach, emptied rucksacks, sleeping bags, food, beach stuff (and not forgetting the kitchen sink!!!), the children charge through the bracken, over the dunes and onto the rocks, and we settle into ‘the hut’– our simple, basic but wonderful home for a while. Always better if you are blessed with good weather, unlike this particularly wet August!

As the years pass I appreciate more and more the incredible importance of routine. Although we have other holidays, for Kathryn and Stephen there is something very special about visiting the same places and doing the same things year after year. They never get bored of sailing out to the Farne Islands, walking along the beach to the castle, making the river dams, exploring rock pools and checking the tide is right to walk out to the Emblestones – a perfect rocky habitat at low tide but completely submerged when the tide is high. We see cousins, relatives and friends from the North East and often welcome Edinburgh pals for a day or two. One essential ingredient of the holiday is the Sunday morning trek along the beach to meet the rest of the family, drive up to Seahouses and celebrate Mass at the tiny little church there – it’s always absolutely packed during the summer, with holiday-makers more than tripling the permanent congregation. Often the children end up sitting on the floor, and we squeeze into the narrow corridor, but nobody minds – there is something intimate and holy about the services.

As the children get older and are quite safe doing their own thing on the beach, there is a wee bit more time for Michael and I to read or sit quietly and simply absorb the beauty of the place. In good weather I often get up before everyone else and sit outside – if I’m feeling energetic, time for a wee yoga stretch or two, but there is always this deep sense of peace, God’s peace. Living such busy lives as we all do, I relish these rare opportunities for soaking up the silence and contemplating God’s wonder. And in Northumberland there is such a rich and profound heritage of searching, finding and worshipping God. I love the stories of Aidan and Cuthbert and often think of those years in solitude on the Farnes, living in close proximity to nature at its wildest. From the beach hut it is impossible not to be aware of the constant ebb and flow of the tides; the sometimes calm, still sea, or the dramatic waves crashing on the shore and attacking vulnerable sand dunes…the infinite regularity of the sea completely covering the rocks, and then hours later the scene totally transformed, like a different place altogether. I see this reflected in my life and in my relationship with God- at times all is well and running smoothly, but then an accident, ill health, work or family hassles, and all becomes hectic, chaotic, even manic! But I take great comfort in the ebbing and flowing of the sea, realising more and more that Gods’ love is as constant and reliable as the tidal flow – infinite and all-powerful.

These rich times of quiet are such a gift to me, and actually, sometimes it’s as if I can store them away and feed on them when I am back in the constant interruptions, business, noise and fray of everyday life!

Margaret Silf, author of ‘Taste and See, Adventuring into Prayer’ has described a beautiful image for busy Christians, which I find very helpful – being part of a ‘cartwheel on the move’. Movement of the wheel is not caused by the hub or the spokes but by the drive-shaft (God), and we are the spokes – one end, the outward end, on the rim, buzzing around, always on the move, but at the other end, attached to the hub, close to the community of Christ in prayer. Neither my contemplation nor my action is mine to achieve, but his to give! ‘God is weaving his dream for us, and for all creation, not only in the stillness of our hearts, but in the whirling activity of our lived lives’. This balance between being busy and setting aside quiet time for God is so important, but often goes against the grain – for the world gives credit and praise to those who seem always to be out organising, planning, achieving, succeeding, and little credit to those who seem to spend time’ doing nothing’ – perhaps the most important thing of all, spending time with God… I long to get the balance right, and when occasionally I do, it is so good!

Wendy Pearson