Hello from PrimeTime!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself getting quite used to the new routine of life in Lock Down and I suspect that I am not alone in this. There have been a number of reports claiming that large numbers of people are feeling very positive about their new, slower–paced lifestyle and that if we were to keep it up post-lock down, as a nation we’ll be healthier for it. Hopefully when we emerge from this national crisis we will, individually, feel the need to re-evaluate our lives, to re-assess what is important, what changes do we want to make, what new routines developed during this time of emergency do we actually want to keep up? Whatever our age, what learning can we take from this experience?
I, like millions of others across Britain and across the world, during April followed with interest the story of Captain Tom Moore’s epic adventure around his garden. I wonder if part of Captain Tom’s success was down to the fact that his was a story that wasn’t directly linked to Coronavirus? At that time, whether we turned on the TV, picked up a newspaper, tuned in to the radio or turned on our computers, we are bombarded with details about one news story only – Coronavirus. So as the daily updates following Captain Tom’s progress emerged, it was like a breath of fresh air, a bit of escapism from reality. For a few minutes we were enabled to think of something other than infection rates and how long ‘lock-down’ would go on for.
Like millions of other across our nation and world-wide, captain Tom was ‘doing his bit’. How individuals choose to ‘do their bit’ varies from person to person. Like Captain Tom, some are fundraising, others like the many wonderful volunteers across our local community have pledged practical support for people who are having to stay at home. While some have used their time to find ways of entertaining us or helping us stay connected online.
What perhaps sets Captain Tom apart is his advanced age. Our societal norms might have this 99 year old war veteran tucked up safe and sound inside his house in a cosy arm chair recounting stories of how active he was in his younger days. A commonly expressed observation from people as their numerical age advances is that they somehow feel as though they’ve been ‘written off’, that they are now viewed as having little or no purpose or value to the community around them. I’ve been leading Prime Time for 7 years now and I would say I think there has been a slight shift over this time in how our nation as a whole responds to the concept of ageing, but Captain Tom has certainly challenged the conventional perception of what many people would assume that someone of 99 would be like or indeed be capable of!
Captain Tom has become a hero, a national treasure and a role model. A role model for younger generations to aspire to as well as inspire and a role model for his peers; a bringer of hope that advancing age does not inevitably equal a lack of purpose or meaning in life. I’m not for a minute suggesting that I think all Prime Time members should start up a sponsored event and head out into your garden to see how many laps you can do or how many times you can climb the stairs; rather that in the light of Captain Tom’s achievement you yourself are inspired to believe that you still have value and purpose. As an organisation, Busbridge & Hambledon Church firmly believe that older people matter and recognise that irrespective of age, people can make significant contributions to the lives of others. Even in this time of ‘lock-down’ we are working on an initiative that will bring our generations together. We are calling it Creative Kindness; look out for an article about this particular initiative elsewhere in this edition of The Bridge. On the notice board beside my desk in the church office is pinned a Bible verse: ‘They will still bear fruit in old age. They will stay fresh and green’ (Psalm 92, Verse 14). We also include it in the Prime Time calendar that we send out to everyone every 6 months. I believe it, the leadership team here at BHC believe it, do you?
One of my favourite verses from scripture is Isaiah 40, Verse 31: ‘… but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint’. This passage makes reference to the natural phenomenon that as eagles age, just before their final demise they grow a new set of flight feathers that enable them to soar like a much younger bird for one last time before their strength fails. I find this passage so full of hope that as we age, we will be enabled to find meaning and purpose in our twilight years. That purpose can be realised right now from our armchairs as we sit in confinement waiting for the restrictions on our social activities to be lifted.
Picking up the phone and ringing someone we’ve not seen in a while, or writing them a note or an email, praying for that person – these are all things that can help bring structure to our day and meaning and purpose to our lives. It may not quite be in the league of raising £32 million for the NHS but it may change the day for the better for that one person who is the recipient of it, and it will probably brighten your day too.
I think that the verse from Isaiah is a very fitting tribute to Captain Tom, but I would like to end off today by using our new national treasure’s own words that he uttered when he completed his adventure; "You've all got to remember that we will get through it in the end, it will all be right. For all those people finding it difficult at the moment, the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away."
Not an especially Biblical ending to this letter I know, but wise words from a man who has lived through much and who unexpectedly finds himself inspiring a nation.
It is my prayer that you find inspiration from him too.
Until next time,
Penny x
Penny Naylor
Prime Time Befriending Coordinator