Part 2 Day 1

Today was a beautiful day to walk along the Lower Norton Shore Road. The Fall colours along the banks of the Kennebecasis River are magnificent. Perhaps not at their height, but still exceptional. The reds, oranges and yellows burst in stunning fountains all around us. The leaves will soon be gone for another year, but these few weeks of sensory flooding are worth the wait.

As we arrived at the church in Lower Norton, I suddenly realized that I had left my walking crook at home. It has covered pretty much every one of the previous 4 pilgrimages with me. The question in my mind was shall I go back for it or go on without? I decided the only answer was to return home. Thankfully the distance between Hampton and Saint John is pretty short, so I have been re-united with my trusty companion.

This evening in the basement of St. Paul’s Hampton we enjoyed what used to be a New Brunswick Saturday night staple, a ham and beans supper, followed, it being Thanksgiving Weekend, by pumpkin pie. It was a great feast.

The fact that I forgot my walking stick has made me reflect about forgetfulness. This Fall we have seen amazing colours across our province; it has been a banner year. As N.T. Wright points out in many of his writings the three essential ideas which underpin the whole Bible are beauty, peace and justice. This week peace has been shattered in another part of the world, Northern Syria. With all the tribulation we hear of throughout the globe, in our own communities and lives, it is easy to forget to be thankful.

Then today as we walked along the river we were engulfed in the beauty of God’s creation. Our eyes were lifted beyond ourselves to gaze upon something which pushes us above the everyday. Many of us will gather around the family table this weekend. Let’s remember to be thankful to God for his goodness.

David