Day 12 of the End to End was the day I actually crossed from Cornwall into Devon. It had taken me 12 days to walk through Cornwall. These were some of the things I noted about Cornwall at the time:
A county lined with hedges deep with wild flowers;
Small strips of woodland with bluebells ready to come out very soon;
Stunning coast line and beautiful rivers;
Good stuff to eat: pasties, clotted cream;
Historic things to see as well as contemporary ones;
Friends to meet and greet.
But the more I think of it, most of the walk was like this. There were many lanes, hedges and paths and one set of flowers followed another as Spring rolled into Summer. The scenery was amazing, whether coast or hills and we came across many good things to eat and interesting things to see. It was also good to link up with friends old and new all the way up the country.
I’ve just spent the Easter weekend celebrating the Triduum with the Lay Community of St Benedict, something that was very new to me the first time I took part 4 years ago. This time it was a different experience as we were on zoom but the old and new blended well together.
Now it is the quiet week post Easter which we often took as our holiday when we were working. My present phase of ministry is very different from those days. A lot of it is through writing or on line or by phone. Days are quiet in our small house and the Longdendale valley which begins just over the road. Any change in situation takes adjustment, whether it was a welcome change or not. Something new is happening and it will take time to feel confident again amidst such changes.
From the remembered gospel
When they arrived at the house in Emmaus, Jesus made as if to go on…
Walk companion,
Prophet explainer,
Supper sharer,
Bread breaker,
may we also go on in your company.
JAL: 13.04.2020 in Longdendale.