September 2024: Editorial

Opening the Front Door     

As summer slowly fades into autumn the harvest and glorious colours and shades of light reminds us of the power and grandeur of God’s creation as well as its fragility. In order to appreciate this wonder we have to remind ourselves to pause frequently. It’s not an uncommon sight now for instance to see joggers accompanied by their uncomprehending but faithful dog running with lead attached alongside or behind the runner with no opportunity to linger over an enticing odour. A dog has a 5000 percent more sensitive sense of smell than a human and likes to take their time sniffing and savouring the scents of nature. It’s the way in which the animal ‘sees’ the world. 

In Laudate Deum (1923 art.64) Pope Francis reminds us; ‘Jesus was able to invite others to be attentive to the beauty that there is in the world because he himself was in touch with nature, lending it an attraction full of fondness and wonder. As he made his way throughout the land, he often stopped to contemplate the beauty sown by his Father, and invited his disciples to perceive a divine message in all things’. 

With holidays over and busy work and schooldays at hand or upon us we may lose sight of the endlessly renewing power of nature which surrounds us. In his wonderful book Nature’s Way: A Guide to Green Therapy Tom Gunning advises us to unlock ourselves from our devices, to avoid caging ourselves indoors, ‘We’ve replaced birdsong, pure scents and floral patterns for screens and social media platforms. Green therapy starts with opening your front door.’ If we attend to this self-care then we can perhaps imagine ways we might take care of our Caregiver, the world of creation.

Paul Clayton-Lea 

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