A year

That shocked and ravaged us.

Debilitated and devastated

Tested our resolve

And often found us wanting.

The year of the unknown quantity

And dangerous lessons.

The year of life

Hanging by a string.

Love, discerned

Then understood.

Hope dashed against

Brick walls of blue uniforms

Misshapen metal

And intractable muscle.

Loss

Everywhere we looked

Of breath, dignity

Friendship, passion

Again and again and again.

A year like no other.

In which sickness and death

Racism and hatred

Misogyny and corruption

Chewed us up

And spat us out

Leaving us drowning

In a manic wasteland

Of heightened emotions

With deadly outlets.

One of discovery

Where we drew

On long dormant reserves

Of strength and resilience

And rose

Not quite to conquer

But undoubtedly endure

With fortitude.

A year in which

The latent chef in me

Wants only to analogise

To deaden the pain.

Or perhaps

Simply chase gravitas

And all it stands for

Out of the room

Lest it abduct

Both confidence

And certainty.

Lamely resorting

To frivolous banter

To ease the onslaught

I sit and muse

About what began as

A light-hearted, semi-curious

Amuse-bouche

"What is it exactly?"

Barely digested before

A meatier entrée of

"Who made it?"

"Where is it now?"

The main dish

A smorgasbord of

"How did it get so bad?"

"Why is it still here?"

""When will it be over?"

No appetite for dessert

But plenty for crushed grapes

Encased in flutes

Eclipsing both

Sorrow and fear.

But then

Mid-meditation

I hear the

Oft forgotten words

"Be still"

"Know that I am God."

And in forsaking motion

I have no need

Of palliatives

Only He.

Therefore

As Rs transition from

Retching, relentless

Recriminating

To the utter relief

Of near resolution

Better I think

To focus

On questions

I can answer.

What is life?

A sweet and fleeting gift

From God to us

Yet always

In service

To others.

What is love?

Agapē

A way of life

Transcending people

Time and circumstance.

Death?

Whether peaceful passage

Or painful wrench

New life in Christ.

And Christ?

Saviour, Deliverer, Yeshua.

The answer.

To every question

In twenty twenty one

In truth, beyond.

Oh yes

There are years that ask

All five Ws & H

And years that answer

Jesus.

⠀

⠀

#Psalm46:10

#2Corinthians5:17