Are you a worrier? I am. My father used to say to me that I would even worry about not
having anything to worry about. Do you return home after setting out to double check that
the front door really is shut tight? Or, do you decide to make certain that you turned the
oven off?
We all know, don’t we, that it’s far better for us and for our well-being to become more
serene and relaxation techniques abound such as mediation and prayer and the practice
of yoga. The pandemic has highlighted our need to de-stress and also to realise that
worry can be a feature for most of us.
However it’s not a modern phenomenon by any means - in fact it is an age-old problem.
The Bible gives us advice on this -
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
and
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6,7
or
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
This lovely poem from Mary Oliver sums it up for us:-
I Worried
I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not how shall
I correct it?
Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,
can I do better?
Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.
Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism,
lockjaw, dementia?
Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning,
and sang.”
― Mary Oliver, Swan: Poems and Prose Poems
