The past week has seen the PM unveil his ‘roadmap’ for our route out of the restrictions we have all lived under, due to the pandemic, for almost twelve months now. Of course we want to be positive, but we can be forgiven for approaching this latest announcement with some caution. It doesn’t seem so long ago that we were all being promised a full family Christmas, only to have it reduced to one day with our loved ones, followed by another three months of National Lockdown. So how do we settle our minds and move forward positively in the weeks and months ahead?
I think firstly, we have to come to terms with what we understand and interpret in the notion of a ‘roadmap’.
As Mick and I approach our 40th Wedding Anniversary in a few weeks time, we have begun to tentatively plan a road trip of Italy for 2022. It has been a dream of ours for some years now, and it seems to be a lovely way to celebrate our Ruby Wedding Anniversary, albeit a year late!
Our starting point has been to consider the best route to take, and for that we will need to consult a roadmap. From there we will set out a more detailed plan. But, and there is a but, that plan has to be flexible and subject to change along the way, because all manner of things might happen to cause us to reassess and to alter our original programme.
I have the enormous privilege of being able to officiate at Weddings and I often refer to married life as being a journey. When a couple leave the church on their Wedding Day, they set off on a path or road that will have many twists and turns can not be anticipated or planned for. The newly married couple will need to be adaptable and resilient and they will need guidance along the way, God’s guidance and grace.
It is true that we have little choice but to follow somebody else’s ‘roadmap’ in the weeks and months to come. Only the leaders of our country will have the tools to assess the situation and make the changes required along the way.
Of course, this has the potential to leave us feeling helpless, hopeless, or even cynical. But we need not be. Ultimately, the road we are travelling is one of hope, and it is to that hope of an ever increasingly positive outcome, that we must hold.
Some people believe that our life’s path or journey, is all predestined. I do not hold that belief. This is quite simply because I believe that we have each been graciously granted free will in life, which means that we have the freedom to make our own choices.
Sure, at this moment in time, so much in our lives has been restricted, has to be restricted, for the common good, but the choice as to how we deal with the situation we face remains totally ours.
It is absolutely our choice as to how we take each step forward on our own road map and how we make the best of each new opportunity we are presented with along the way.
And when the road ahead seems a little dark, and yes, at times definitely will, we can be assured that there will always be a light to guide us and a hand to help us through.
