We set out later than our usual hour, the sun already high, a bright coin set into a cloudless blue. The air carries a crisp edge—the unmistakable breath of autumn—yet the sunlight wraps around me like an old friend, warm upon my face, softening the chill that lingers in the shade.
Today feels suspended, hushed, as if the world itself pauses in remembrance. Across the towns and villages of our island, people gather—veterans with polished medals catching the light, families wearing red poppies pinned to coats. They stand shoulder to shoulder at memorials of stone and bronze, their silence deep and dignified. A nation breathes together, hearts bowed in gratitude for those who once walked into darkness so we might live in the light.
Carys darts through the long grass, a blur of joy and fur, untethered by memory or meaning. She knows only the thrill of the chase, the cool whisper of blades brushing her legs. I watch her and envy her simplicity—her world so immediate, so untouched by the weight of history.
The meadow sparkles with dew, each droplet a captured star trembling on a blade of green. My boots are soon soaked, but I welcome the damp—it feels honest, grounding. Above me, a family of Blue Tits chatter with the confidence of small, bright things. They flit among the conifers, wings flashing silver-blue in the light. There are no caterpillars now, but generous hands have left seeds and suet, and so they thrive—small lives sustained by quiet kindness.
The morning wanes. Grey and white clouds drift across a dark blue sky, dramatic and soft, as though brushed by Constable himself. The light changes constantly—silver one moment, grey the next—and I find myself caught in its shifting moods, the sky a living canvas of remembrance.
I turn homeward through the wet grass, the scent of earth rising with each step. Work awaits, but so does another walk, later—when the afternoon sun leans lower, when the light turns amber, and the day exhales into evening.
Visitor Comments
Such a thought-provoking and meaningful post.
Dean from Lancaster.