A Special Place

Clocks sprung forward with Spring Easter morning 2024 ground soaked through with all that rain rude awakening alarm at 5.30 (really 4.30) dark to get up like our risen Lord alleluia it’s hard last night’s late supper sat barely chewed at back of mouth taste sweet sauternes chocolate truffles still sticky thick between buds but arose rolled away duvet showered quickly dressed in old three piece country tweeds RAC tie heavy shooting coat brimmed felt hat and went to church on the island St Mary’s at Orchardleigh for Easter morning sunrise celebration more of sit-on-a-bench beside the lake next to flaming brazier with ten other early morning souls than formal act of worship prayer readings were started and stopped three times as our numbers were seven before they became eleven after the half past six false start listened to the dawn chorus twice saw fish move in brown pond depths like something stirred water from below not quite rippling surface but almost trembling it tickling it disturbing tension from below ducks coots pheasants and a peacock made noises song birds but not distant human sound nor traffic whoosh nor dog bark sheep perhaps but almost too early for them crackle of burning dried logs breathing of outside congregation small light chatter low laughter then Mike began his words read from double sided sheet printed feinter than those needed to utter in response our words printed in bold we did it again then paused to listen again to sounds around us before Mike’s wife read the lesson about Mary finding the tomb empty and then meeting who she took to be the gardener who on questioning revealed himself as the risen Jesus then Mike connected his mobile phone to mini speaker with sermon from preacher who sounded American heard child’s echo in background of his congregation there were none in ours his words not as inspiring as our current surroundings with eager weak sun just breaking through bushes tree branches at far end of lake then Mike lead us onto reverse side of printed A4 sheet lit our thin hand-held candles from flaming brazier read more words of prayer blessed each other our faith in Easter ate hot cross buns drank cups of strong coffee chatted about local stuff village life appointment of a new vicar a woman who’d been teaching English to the Chinese my retired doctor doctor Brooks there not in China but one of the eleven we spoke both retired but staying our ground in good stead then it was happy Easter one and all respectful graveside nod to Fred and Jean Chant remembered with fondness from times gone by when I tended that church yard cut its grass pumped its organ sang its praises it looked fine on that Easter morn will outlast us all on its island of splendid isolation peace well kept tranquillity where you can go to believe in what you want but from where you might emerge believing in a little more than when you arrived at that special place.