If you think I’m brave or strong, please don’t. I’m no more brave or strong than your Aunt Fanny. Unless, of course, you have a Fanny in your family who is truly remarkable… Let’s agree then, not to compare or create another impossible role model, because no doubt, she feels the same dark doubts and freezing fears that I am prone to and when despairing is tempted to say along with Gideon: If God is with us, then why has all this happened? Surely we can all see that
after Gideon,
fearful, doubtful and fleecing
the bar’s within reach?…that the angel can appear to anyone saying: Go in this might of yours, or Your prayer has been answered, and You will conceive in your womb, as well as, Do not be afraid to take her as your wife, even You will find the baby — or simply Remain, Write it down …
© 2016 – Laurel Archer
Photo Credits: Pixabay
Poetry form: Haibun
I sincerely appreciate the reality check in this poem.
The reality of how much our courage, our ignorance, our holy-foolishness and faith are in a square dance with one another; “bowing”, “do-sa-do-ing”, “pull -by”, “circle back”. I learned to square dance in Jr. High gym class, it was so awkward! If it wasn’t for the person calling the moves we all would have been lost. It took practice. Often times I had to stop and stay in one spot, get my bearings, until I could rejoin the dance.
“fearful, doubtful and fleecing” – that line rings true for some many things in life.
Ya Kevin, this is what my epiphany was reading Gideon’s story again — God knows who I am — what I struggle with, knows all this already — and to use your metaphor, still calls me to participate in the dance. As if to say, ‘I know you can’t dance…does that matter?’