To Boldly Go…

Are you the kind of person who boldly steps forward into new territory, or do you take a slower, more cautious approach to embracing something new?

Being honest, it depends on the situation for me. I can be confident and impulsive, but more frequently, I think deeply before committing to something. At times, that also shows up as procrastination.

The Old Sailor

One of my favourite poems as a child was “The Old Sailor,” by A.A. Milne. It is a humorous tale of a sailor who gets shipwrecked on an island, and devises many survival plans, such as looking for water, making a hut for shelter, hunting for food, building a boat for escape, and so on. However, he finds himself in a state of not knowing what to do first, and consequently, does nothing.

“So he thought of his hut… and he thought of his boat,

And his hat and his breeks, and his chickens and goat,

And the hooks (for his food) and the spring (for his thirst)…

But he never could think which he ought to do first.

And so in the end he did nothing at all,

But basked on the shingle wrapped up in a shawl.”

Love is Stronger than Fear

Procrastination sometimes has its roots in perfectionism, and perfectionism can be rooted in fear. But love is stronger than fear, and there is grace for new beginnings.

“The Old Sailor” is published in A.A. Milne’s book, “Now We Are Six,” a book which I loved as a very young child. It was around the age of six that I stopped writing my own stories, and now I begin again, writing afresh as an adult. It’s been a long time, and a lot of water under the bridge, but that is a story for another day…

Letting the Light in

A calculated guess: I’m not alone in thinking up a myriad different reasons to stay safely in the comfort zone, like that old sailor, basking on the shingle, wrapped up cosily in his shawl, waiting for rescue.

Such a variety of inspiring blogs out there, for starters. Poets and wordsmiths and artists and entrepreneurs, creating beautiful, challenging, inspirational work.

So, from the outset, I make a choice not to be intimidated by that, but to celebrate it. I choose to play my small part in bringing something of God’s love and healing and hope to the World Wide Web.

Leonard Cohen puts it this way, in his song, “Anthem:”

“Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in.”

 

If you identify with procrastination or fear of stepping out into the unknown, please feel free to share your experience in the comments. If you would like prayer for healing, or for new beginnings, or any other needs, please head over to the prayer requests section. We would love to pray for you.