We were treated this week to an excellent assembly in the Prep from Mr Barber on the theme of Harvest Festivals both here in Britain and their equivalents internationally. He began by helping us think about what harvest might mean to us today, living as we do in a more urban environment. Of course, the images many of us call to mind come from rural Britain such as fields being gathered in, baskets of produce and village traditions but Mr Barber widened our lens. He showed us how harvest festivals are marked across the world, from Sri Lanka and China to the United States.
Different customs, music and food perhaps, but all united by one clear theme: gratitude.
That message was brought cheerfully to life by Miss Bee, who had us all singing lines from the song ‘Share what you have with people you love’. It was a joyful moment, and a reminder that the values underpinning Harvest are not bound to a season or a particular set of customs. Rather, gratitude can be kept alive all year round whenever we remember to share, give thanks, and look after one another.
