Autumn Days

Yesterday I was thinking about Julie Andrews singing ‘My favourite things’ – ‘Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens…’ Yesterday I was out clearing fallen leaves and I remembered ‘Autumn Leaves’, a song that we used to sing in school assemblies fifty years ago. It was in ‘Come and Praise’, books that were popular in many primary schools…

Autumn days when the grass is jewelled
And the silk inside a chestnut shell.
Jet-planes meeting in the air to be refuelled.
All these thing I love so well

So I mustn’t forget
No, I mustn’t forget.
To say a great big ‘Thank You’
I mustn’t forget
Some of the ideas are dated now, but it’s a good song that encourages gratitude. ‘Silk inside a chestnut shell…’ I’ve never known so many conkers falling from our horse chestnut tree… that the squirrels are burying in our lawn. And it’s been a good year for apples, there are lots of acorns in the woods..

I’m grateful for the beauty of Lowestoft. In the last week I’ve seen rough seas and waves breaking on windswept beaches. There’s been sunshine, rain and rainbows, and the leaves are just starting to change to their rich autumn colours.

Clouds that look like familiar faces
And the winter’s moon with frosted rings.
Smell of bacon as I fasten up my laces
And the song the milkman sings…

Whipped-up spray that is rainbow-scattered
And a swallow curving in the sky
Shoes so comfy though they’re worn out and they’re battered
And the taste of apple pie.
‘Autumn Days’ reminds us that we should be grateful for more than just the beauty of nature. It encourages us to be aware of, and be grateful for, the many good things in life. Yesterday I appreciated my favourite breakfast cereal, the sound of children playing in a neighbour’s garden, a comfy jumper that I last wore six months ago, an unexpected message from a caring friend…   

Scent of gardens when the rain’s been falling
And a minnow darting down a stream
Picked-up engine that’s been stuttering and stalling
And a win for my home team.

So I mustn’t forget
No, I mustn’t forget.
To say a great big ‘Thank You’
I mustn’t forget

This attitude of gratitude is apparent in different ways… I can feel grateful and blessed for my life – the people who share my life with me, where I am, what I experience… I can be more diligent in expressing my gratitude to those around me who contribute to my blessed life… I can thank my God for who he is, what He has done and what He gives me each day.