[This newsletter appears on my Substack community called “Bless My Feet.” Click here to view the entire newsletter, including welcome video!]
Things are really starting to ramp up around here now that it’s the beginning of September. I don’t know about you, but I love it when the routine of a new school year begins to unfold. I love when I can pack my three vibrant children up in a car, wave them away to their day, and then (finally!) return to a quiet house to get on with my own pursuits.
September always had a sheen of possibility on it for me. Growing up, I wondered what my teachers would be like, whether my classmates had changed since I’d last seen them, whether there would be a new student who might become a best friend. Sometimes I was that new student, walking into those hallways that smelled like fresh paint, stomach fluttering with butterflies, a timid but hopeful smile on my face. No matter what the circumstances, September always filled me with a yearning to learn and grow, to be challenged and stretched. I was so done with the lazy days of summer and felt ready to apply myself.
Of course, this feeling never lasted forever. By November I would have something different to say about my oppressive school routine. But September… September brimmed with possibility.
Last September I was a bit more wary than usual because of the looming uncertainties of COVID. The vaccine hadn’t been developed yet and I had an ominous sense about the future.
I know, I know. Things aren’t much different now. We do have the vaccine, but variants are still spreading, climate change is doing scary things, and there is a looming refugee crisis. There will always be ominous threats in this world. Every single September, we will have cause to worry, fear, or even despair.
But the sheen of September shines through all that, for me, this year. The possibility of what’s ahead glows brighter than the heavy news we receive every day. The future stretches before me – before us – and I’m excited to learn and grow, to be challenged and stretched.
I hope there’s a sheen of possibility this September for you, too.
Kiran
p.s. Click this link to see my welcome video!
There’s a lot coming up that I’m excited about. I hope I’ll be able to connect with you in one or many of these ways.
- 18th September Online mini retreat with Paul Hutchinson – book here
- Bless My Feet series on Spiritual Practices for Resilience – become a member here
- 19-21 November in person retreat at Corrymeela – find out more here or email me at revkiran@gmail.com. Deposits of £50 due on Friday 24th September, £130 due Friday 22nd October
- New Celtic Psalms album in the works – preorder here. If you’d like to be among the churches hosting a virtual concert, contact me at revkiran@gmail.com
- Spiritual Direction – find out more about what this means here. I’d love to walk alongside you on your journey
- Turas Pilgrimage in Ireland October 2023 – find out more here
Kiran Young Wimberly 