The Quality of Light

Yesterday the bruised and dolorous skies healed for a few hours 

and the rain gave way to beautifully warm sunshine,

so a friend and I drove through the Cotswolds

 to Moreton-in-the-Marsh.  

 We had planned to go last week,

but as we were about to go we were treated to giant hailstones

 which dented the roof of her car and persuaded us to postpone!

We are not made for such weather extremes

 here in moderate Britain.

Normal service was resumed weather-wise 

as the rain started up again in the night,

and today we seem to be seeing the fulfilment 

of the met. office warnings of yet again

 getting a month's worth of rain in a few hours.

It has simply been raining without a break , 

with heavier storms arising in the midst of it.

Walking in the park despite the rain, 

I realised there was something different.  

Then it struck me that the quality of the light had changed

The grey lowering skies have made the weeks of rain

 even more dis-spiriting 

yet today the sky was strangely bright

 whilst the rain was no less heavy.

You could almost swear that the sun was about to break out.

Seen through the lens of my phone camera 

a break in the rain looks imminent

   but there wasn't any let up at all,

 and still it rains hours later.

It got me to thinking 

about the times I have felt life was impossibly dark

and only on looking back have I realised

 that all along there had been enough light (just),

to keep me moving forward.

I know that for many the weekends do not allow enough time

 to recover full strength and energy

before there has to be that plunge into the next week

 with all it's new demands,

and all you seem to do is yearn

 for some break in the weight you carry.

I pray that in some way this weekend you will feel 

the benefit of the renewing light

which keeps you yearning towards it.

Be Blessed