Lamentations: my own thoughts

I’m in one of those moods today. The mood for lamentations. Melancholy. And for no particular reason. But if I sit long enough and think about it, I can come up with at least 25 reasons to feel sad. And this is personal. So bear with me.

 

This Coronavirus is getting out of hand!

I feel fat and bloated

Sometimes I wonder if I should have given up that job.

I wish I could travel this summer and it should’ve made it to my unique bucket list

Christmas is too far away

My foot hurts and seems like I’ll have to live with it

I’d like to have more Pinterest followers

Concerned about #BlackLivesMatter

But also about other lives

Too much suffering going on in the world

All focus seems to be on ISIS which means the Taliban is no doubt regrouping

It’s really hot today and I don’t want to cook

Too many people I know are struggling with cancer

I know I should go for my walk but don’t feel up to it

Wondering if my next meeting is going to be boring (I hate most meetings)

I’d prefer to be sat on the beach in Jamaica now

I’m wondering what life has in store for me and when will be my next disappointment

Lamentations is a fitting way to sum up how I’m feeling. Like tearful, like staying in the state that I’m in forever. Sorry for myself.

 

It reminds me of 22 years ago when I was leaving Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands after living and teaching there for 4 years. When I went to my last church service there, it was Pastor Kerr who addressed the congregation. Part of his message was entitled Lamentations Again. He spoke about the weeping that would ensue and the emptiness that would be felt by the small island and in particular the little church because so many families had come to the end of their contracts and were going back to their respective countries. It really was a sad time. And not just for the people who would miss us; we would miss the place terribly too. No more five-minute drive to the beach, no more small manageable class sizes, no more living in an almost crime-free environment, no more visiting the fish market that didn’t need a freezer as the fish is always freshly caught, no more of that lovely accent of the locals and no more of that little church that was our church home for four years! It was indeed a sad time.

 

It reminds me too of the real book of Lamentations in the bible. Have you ever read it? I don’t go there often as, to be honest, it’s a sad book! It’s a lot of crying, weeping and wailing. What’s the weeping about?  The destruction of Jerusalem. The beautiful city, left in ruins. And there was wholesale weeping. It seemed at the time like God had forsaken His people! Oh, the tragedy! Can you imagine how desperate the people felt?

You know what? If you can’t imagine that because it seems too far away, too far back in time, and too far fetched, I understand. Well, there are some place names that, when I mention them, they’ll give you real cause for Lamentations. Here are some current reasons for lamentations that sometimes get me down:

Syria

Somalia.

Afghanistan

Turkey

 

Now, these are some naturally beautiful places that have come to varying degrees of ruin. Just imagine for a minute that your beautiful home and city or town is bombed! Now can you imagine your lamentations! Imagine your kids and the trauma they would be going through while you run, hiding from place to place to find somewhere for your most prized possessions- your children!

 

I’ve recently taught two boys from Afghanistan who have been hurt irreparably I think because of what has happened to them and their families in their own homes, towns, and country. It’s painful just listening to their experiences of having to flee and leave loved ones behind. They have seen the lamentations of their town folk and also of their own family members! How do you even erase those memories?

 Stop the Lamentations

Brings me back to my own state of melancholy; I still have life, a home, a family, and friends and I’m not facing even a quarter of the reasons for the Lamentations those people in Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan and Turkey have. I wasn’t even able to come up with 25 reasons to be sad! So I have every reason to snap out of this state, give thanks for the problems I don’t have, and rejoice for the God of heaven has blessed me abundantly, and for that, I’m grateful.  So, I’ll pick myself up and go out and do some good deeds to spread some love and kindness so that at least one person is left happier and have reasons to look away from their own Lamentations. I encourage you to do the same.

xoxo

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