READING 'Reflections', a column published in the Okehampton Times, I was interested to see that a local church minister mentioned a visit he made to London where, rather strikingly, he noticed the busyness of people as they were rushing about the capital.
A reminder for me of the days in 1938/39 flashed to mind before second world war, when in a small family terraced home my parents listened to the wireless, the radio we would say today. The BBC Home programme, I think, was on a Saturday at around 7:30pm. We would hear announced "In Town Tonight . . . Stop the mighty roar of London traffic'. and its signature tune Knightsbridge from Eric Coates' 'London Suite' would ring out.
Later in the 1980/90s, I was to work in the City and the West End myself and like the church minister I am able now to draw on my own experience of the hustle and bustle. However, when driving from the east to Okehampton one cold December evening in more recent years, a large sign 'Emmanuel' appeared on the side of a house in front of me. Stopped at traffic lights, a point in East Street where traffic often moves slowly in this historic town, I found in those moments at the red traffic light the real meaning of the word came to mind.
Should the same illuminating sign appear again this year 2009, it would be interesting to know if people in their busyness manage towards Christmas, to give thought to the true meaning of 'Emmanuel'— God with Us!
Thankfully, readers, young people and the not so young, can have a wonderful time during this season of Advent, despite the recession and all those TV commercials that often push us to have struggles with tight family budgets. There are still a number of shopping days to come yet, but here is a wish: Happy Christmas readers, one and all.
Donald Bibey
Okemoor Park
Okehampton