Families In Flight

flight - can mean the action of flying, or the action of fleeing.

Steph and co have just returned from a much-postponed holiday. Their flight was delayed, and the airport seems pretty empty as George plays with his Dad. My grandson has clearly mastered the art of being vertical, confidently walking and running now. 

It is hard not to contrast this happy little family with those at the airport in Kabul. On Wednesday we drove past RAF Marham - there was a "friends and family day" happening, and we saw some fighter jets and also a large transport plane fly past us [missed the Red Arrows though] 

I did wonder why a large transport plane was doing an airshow in Norfolk, when there were people [who had worked for the British Army] waiting desperately for a plane to rescue them from the Taliban. But we must hope and pray that the people who have promised us that "they will move heaven and earth to rescue them" keep their words.

Steph, George and Gaz are in Manchester. Liz, Jon and the girls are in London. And we two are back to 'doing our own thing'. The weather has turned cooler this week, and the children are talking about going back to school. In France this is the week of Rentrée - the end of the holidays, the beginning of term.

I found this meditation on a Jesuit website, I thought it appropriate for this time...

• Make time to reflect and be thankful for what is ending.  Be grateful for what was learned and what was accomplished.
• Make time to celebrate the new beginning and what we have to look forward to.
• Recognize there are things about endings and beginnings that we do not control. Act on what we can control, but recognize and move on from what we can’t control.
• Pause to reflect and refresh.  The pace, chaos, and emotion of change can be stressful; make time to take care of ourselves and each other.
• Be grateful for what we have and for those around us with whom we share these changes.
• Remain optimistic and hopeful for what is yet to come and the new relationships that new beginnings may bring.
• And finally, take time to remember that God is with us through all the events of our lives, and that these endings and beginnings are no different.