For everything there is a season…

While walking along the Thames, I was drawn to this row of boats seemingly waiting for someone to hire them. It is the middle of winter and so it isn’t likely that anyone will actually choose to hop into the boat and head out into the river, so the boats have no choice but to be content with waiting until the season changes and passengers start to arrive. 

It’s interesting how my own life is echoing the seasons at the moment. I have been home more recently, resting after a busy and fruitful year. I can feel a bit like those boats at times, waiting until the season changes and I can live according to my purpose. I have had many conversations with friends over the years, who are experiencing something similar. People waiting for a season to change or something to shift, so that they can finally take that step and do the thing they were called to do. It’s a cold and dark time waiting for the spring. In the meantime, as they wait, they can lose confidence and perspective. The vision and calling can start to blur, just like the reflections in the water.

But then I felt my perspective on these boats change. Perhaps, the boats are a sign of an opportunity, rather than an indication of the season? Perhaps, I am being asked to step on board, even if the weather isn’t perfect and the water is cold. An empty boat with oars at the ready, could be an opportunity to experience something new, even invigorating. Maybe this is an invitation? To listen to the call in the innermost place and to travel further and deeper than I think is possible. To risk and to grow in the process. Maybe this isn’t a season of waiting, but a season of invitation.