A Little Fall Of Rain

After 3 dry months it’s rained this week! Rachel and I visited the garden centre yesterday; we bought plants that we’ll plant in our damp garden this afternoon…

Yesterday King Charles addressed the nation. MPs spoke of the Queen constancy, character… eloquent speeches of affection, respect…

Priti Patel’s tribute included: ‘It was so poignant yesterday when the heavens opened and cried with the country as the devastating news broke and this period of national mourning began.’  (I never thought I would quote Priti Patel!)

I remembered the Paul Simon song ‘On the Side of a Hill’… Simon describes the pointlessness of war and a child’s unnoticed death.

On the side of a hill, a little cloud weeps
And waters the grave with its silent tears
While a soldier cleans and polishes a gun
That ended a life at the age of seven years

In contrast our Queen’s life has been celebrated and her death grieved.

We saw Les Misérables on Thursday… The students build the barricade. Eponine joins the rebellion and is shot. Dying in Marius’ arms she sings ‘A little fall of rain’:

Don’t you fret, M’sieur Marius
I don’t feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
You’re here, that’s all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain will make the flowers grow.

For Eponine the power of love contrasts with the tears of the rain; despite her death, through her death, the rain will bring life and beauty in the flowers…

Musing…

…Memories of the Queen… her example and legacy… life and death… tears of rain… love through death…

…Reading this morning: ‘The Lord’s home reaches to the heavens, while its foundation is on the earth. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land…’ (Amos 9:6)

…With the rain this week there have been rainbows… flowers will bloom… there’s beauty, promise and hope.