As November begins there are lots of opportunities to remember. The Christian Festivals of All Saints and All Souls encourage us to think about those whose example we follow and to celebrate loved ones who have died. The loss may still be fresh at times, but hopefully there are good memories and special moments to recall.

Among the family fun of bonfires and fireworks on Guy Fawkes night, it also reminds us of the need to protect and value the freedoms we enjoy, and the potential impact that one person can have, for good or ill, in the life of a community or country.

Finally, Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday bring these threads together. We remember the men and women who served our country in various ways during two World Wars and more recent conflicts, giving of themselves to protect our freedom. As the poem by John Maxwell Edwards says, for our tomorrow they gave their today.

Reflecting on all those who have shaped, nurtured, and sacrificed for us, the words of Jesus come to mind: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”