In times of change
There is a tradition, particularly in the South of France, that after a predictably prolonged hot and dry spell of summer weather, the 15th August marks the point where the climate becomes much more changeable. It does not necessarily get any cooler straightaway, but there tend to be bigger variations in temperature, a greater chance of rain, and a generally much more unsettled outlook. Time will tell whether this has been the case for readers in the UK this year, following an unseasonally temperate couple of months.
The 15th August is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as her Dormition, or Falling Asleep, in the Book of Common Prayer and in Orthodox Churches. It is a feast acknowledging that change can be unsettling, and not always in ways that we might expect. For the church, it marks the end of a period of familiarity and the beginning of a more mysterious and in some ways uncertain way of engaging with God, in which we come to rely on the faith, hope and love that is found within us.
Such change can be disturbing. Think of a well-struck touch of Grandsire, in which the familiarity of the music helps to create a steady rhythm as the bells come back together in regular groupings. A flurry of bobs and singles changes the coursing order of the heavier bells, and all of a sudden the rhythm has gone and everyone finds themselves listening and working that little bit harder.
The way we cope with such change is firstly to acknowledge that change has happened, and then to see what it does to us. We can easily fear change, because it brings with it an element of the unknown, and because we know that it will need us to draw on our personal reserves to be resilient and adaptable.
And so we must build up those reserves, and develop our understanding of ourselves and our relationships to those who can support us in times of change, during the periods of calm and stability. That means that, come rain or shine, we are able to face the day with joy and confidence, and find our new rhythm – until the next change comes.
Max Drinkwater