We all need to take time out of our busy lives to relax, reconnect with people and places and have time to muse on our lives . It can be as simple as going for a walk ,reconnecting with nature and daydreaming, on other occasions it might involve travel.
I am lucky enough to be able to spend time in my hometown of Llandeilo with friends and family in the midst of the beautiful West Wales countryside.
For several months, due to hectic commitments and some illness. I was unable to make this pilgrimage. Then towards the end of February my diary was clear, I felt well, if tired and off I went . As I exited the motorway and drove through the stunning countryside I could feel the hustle and bustle of my daily life fall away. I began to RELAX. Meeting with friends and family helped me to RECOUP my strength as did a visit to Oxwich Bay and the glimpse of a rainbow. I had RESTARTed my batteries.
I only travelled for a few hours down the motorway but others went further afield. Alice and Roy Mwanji had not been able to return to Uganda for a few years partly due to Covid. It must have felt much longer but just before Christmas they packed their bags left the stresses and strains behind them and went to their Ugandan home’
While staying in the house they met up with Family and friends and were able to attend a family wedding.
When Alice arrived back at Church she had obviously benefited from her visit and looked ready to tackle anything.
The restoration of St Johns has taken up a huge amount of Giles and Shanon’s lives. The stresses and strains were huge and they needed time to regroup so ,with the blessing of all at St John’s, they took some well earned leave. They were able to return to Malaysia where they met up with family and friends, visited the forests and took time to relax.
Giles sums up
Coming back from 5 weeks away was a shock! Especially as I had had so much time to think and reflect. Malaysia and Kerala are very diverse societies where faith is often front and centre, whether it’s Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh… I was reminded again and again of the importance of taking the spiritual journey seriously. So it’s good to be back and to take the next steps, through Lent, on my own journey
We all need time out on occasions it can be by travelling many miles or merely sitting in a park or Garden for thirty minutes. It allows us to reassess our lives in order to move on .So remember the mantra
RELAX RECOUP RESTART
and perhaps life’s journey will be a little smoother.
- Elaine Thomas (Church Warden)
Accepting the past to move forward – slavery and its aftermath, read on here
We all need time out on occasions it can be by travelling many miles or merely sitting in a park or Garden for thirty minutes.It allows us to reassess our lives in order to move on .So remember the mantra RELAX RECOUP RESTART and perhaps life’s journey will be a little smoother.
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