There were three dozen of us again for the Parish Eucharist at St Catherine's this morning. We may all be required to wear masks in church next week, in the light of Welsh government anti-covid measures in the face of rising infection rates. But there's no ban on public worship envisaged at the moment, hopefully.
There was a warm wind blowing clouds around in a mostly blue sky when I took my afternoon walk. Some trees have leaves that are turning colour, from late summer darker green to brown and gold. In the hawthorn hedge along the northern boundary of Pontcanna Fields, I heard clicking sounds from within, scores of them, and then the distinctive shrill call of a single starling. Now I know where they roost before emerging to forage for insects around tea time. I often see them out on the grass, pecking around, and then suddenly bursting into the air in formation before settling in another spot.
In the evening we watched David Attenborough's latest documentary 'Extinction', bringing together all the facts experts are able to muster about the rapidly rising biodiversity and species loss meaning measured around the planet. Even more profoundly disturbing than the stark reality exposed, is the aggressive denial by some politicians and industrialists who deny the seriousness of the problem, and maybe benefit from the continued abuse and exploitation of nature.
Attenborough voices hope against hope, believing there is still time for people to change their consumption habits, and for nature to bounce back if conservation is taken with utmost seriousness by most of the powers that be. I wish I had such confidence! Far too many people are selfish, inconsiderate of others, as we've seen with the widespread flouting of anti-contagion measures since strict lowdown rules were relaxed. We may already have run out of time to repent with fatal consequences - our own extinction.
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