Change in the Wind
Open to change
by Brian Radcliffe (revised, originally published in 2017)
Suitable for Key Stage 2
Aims
To explore how open we are to personal change.
Preparation and materials
- You will need three readers.
- Have available the YouTube video ‘Winds in the East – Mary Poppins 1964’ and the means to show it during the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly. It is 0.25 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/SSfGBskfthg
Assembly
- Ask the children, ‘Do you have a favourite month of the year?’
Listen to a range of responses. - Invite the three readers to read their words.
Reader 1: I love December because it has Christmas near the end of it. I love the colour, the presents, the special events and parties. I like it when I’m warm and cosy inside, looking out at the frost and snow.
Reader 2: I much prefer July. Everything is running down towards the summer holidays. The days are long and usually warm. It all seems so relaxed.
Reader 3: Yes, but I usually get bored by the end of the school holidays. I want a project to motivate me, something to get my teeth into. That’s why I’d plump for September. - Ask the children, ‘What about March? That’s where we are right now. What does March have to attract us?’
Listen to a range of responses. - March is one of those months that’s often associated with a particular type of weather. April is notorious for showers, June is meant to be sunny, but March is the month for winds.
Historically, it’s the month when strong winds sweep in, usually from the southwest, often laden with storms and rain. It may be cold, it may be mild, but the wind is frequently strong and gusty. Apparently, it’s to do with the mild air from the Atlantic meeting the cold air from the Arctic and their relative high- and low-pressure systems interacting with each other. Air from the high-pressure system rushes to fill the void in the low-pressure system. - Wind can have a dramatic effect when it arrives. If anything is a little loose, like a roof tile or a dead branch on a tree, a strong wind whips it away and a repair becomes necessary. Wind may blow away rubbish from where you live, but it only deposits it somewhere else, causing mess for someone else to clear up.
Wind is also a useful source of renewable power. In fact, it now outstrips the amount of electricity that is generated from coal in the UK.
Wind is important in nature as a whole because the wind disperses seeds from trees and plants, enabling new stock to develop, away from the competing claims of the parent. So, you see, wind is primarily about change.
Time for reflection
Show the YouTube video ‘Winds in the East – Mary Poppins 1964’ (0.25 minutes long).
Ask the children, ‘Are you ready for a change?’
Pause to allow time for thought, and then listen to a range of responses.
Spring is often a time for renewing our motivation. Milder weather, longer days and a more optimistic frame of mind can encourage us to initiate new ventures.
First, we need the clearing-out effect of the March winds, so let’s look at the things in our lives that might need dealing with. We could start by looking at our health and fitness. Perhaps it would be a good idea to loosen up muscles that may have lain dormant during winter. We could also review our diet, ditch the junk food and eat our five-a-day.
However, there are some other things that we may want to deal with too: habitual behaviours, negative frames of mind, unsupportive friendships and taking rather than giving. Things like this may be holding us back. We can, to some extent, choose to deal with these, let them go and feel better for it.
Next, let’s take a look at things that we could prioritize more in our lives. Let’s think about things that are important, without which our life would be less secure, enjoyable and purposeful. Friendships would be a good example. They can easily drift. We can lose contact or become less close, only noticing when we desperately need advice and support. It’s the same with our commitment to a club, society or group. Over the winter, it’s easy to miss a few training sessions, rehearsals or practices. Maybe the weather’s bad, there’s something on Netflix or there’s a party to go to.
Wind can have a dramatic effect. It’s impossible to predict the exact direction from which it’s coming, where it’s heading or how strong it’s going to be. In the Bible, wind is used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit gives them strength and direction in their lives.
So, are we ready for a change? This March, why not let the breeze take hold of us? Clear out the rubbish, fasten the loose connections and be ready to explore new and exciting possibilities.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the excitement of life and the fact that there are always opportunities ahead.
Please help us always to be open to new possibilities.
Amen.
