Dear Friends,
I may have already been asleep when the fireworks went off on New Year’s eve, last week. But my impression was that there were far fewer than usual, and it seemed less noisy. Perhaps the current restrictions and encouragement to be cautious had its effect. This is reflected in our garden too. Normally by now we have more signs of bulbs coming through the soil, but they seem reluctant to begin 2022.
Whatever our approach to the beginning of a New Year, we are getting more familiar with uncertainties. Our lives are having to flex with the ebbs and flows of Covid 19 variants. We now take for granted mask wearing, sanitising, mixing with too many others, keeping rooms well ventilated. Sadly, many businesses are having to see their profitability hang on a knife edge, and many livelihoods have been lost.
Our health system is stretched beyond capacity, whilst having to work harder than ever, especially with large numbers of staff off sick. We are aware of how connected we all are, and also how fragile and vulnerable many aspects of our living is. If one thing goes awry, there is a knock on effect elsewhere. If we celebrate the vaccine roll out in this country, we should forget those countries where there are not enough vaccines to go round, let alone second and third boosters.
We have remembered camels and donkeys in recent weeks. Beasts of burden, walking at a slow pace, enabling the rider to look around, ponder and reflect on the movements of stars and planets. Having time to consider the motives and machinations of human beings, and the state of things.
Perhaps a resolution to slow down and to travel with the slowest in our communities could help us know God’s pulse and purposes in creation and to see how we might be in tune with them as we face another challenging year.
Peace Tim