The World That Was

‘You have probably read in your history books about what in olden times were called the seasons’

The children nodded their heads.

‘There were four of them. Winter, the coldest time of the year when winds blew, the sun shone rarely and there was even snow.’

Hands shot up around the room.

‘Alicia.’

‘Do you remember snow miss?’

‘I don’t it was long before my time but my parents told me stories and we have some photographs. Here pass them round.’

Amazed faces. ‘And were there really large white bears living at the ends of the earth?’

She nodded, ‘Sadly no more.’

‘Spring came next. Gentle rainfall, flowers peeping out above the grass. Lambs frolicking and dancing about the fields. Bluebells stealing their colour from the sky. ’ More photos with expressions of delight as they were studied.

‘Where are the lambs now miss?’

She shook her head sadly. ‘Like you they are kept indoors now, no longer safe outside.’

‘Summer the third of the seasons. Deck chairs on the sands by the sea, ice cream with cheeky seagulls trying to steal it.’

Once again puzzled faces, and more photos. Smiles and laughter greeted these.

‘What happened to the sea miss, and why can’t we go and sit on the sand?’

‘The sea became polluted and many of the animals living in it died. Not a nice or suitable place to be any more.’

‘Autumn, the fourth of our seasons. My favourite I think. Leaves on trees dying but producing the most wonderful colours. Colours of sunsets and sunrises trapped within them and when they fell to the ground carpets of wonder.’

‘Miss, what has happened to the seasons. And will they ever come back?’

She shrugged, ‘Who knows. Maybe when you grow up the world will be in your hands and you will make the changes.’