Good Morning To You

I walked along the sea front this morning. Very ordinary and normal. Some folk were walking their dogs, some cycling to work. There were early morning joggers, one or two were swimming in the sea.

‘Morning,’ I said to many I passed. I got the usual variety of responses – the total silence, the indecipherable grunt, the dutiful expressionless, ‘Morning,’ the cheerful ‘Lovely morning!’ the friendly ‘How ya doin’ bud?’

‘Morning,’ I said to a gent in a motorised buggy. I guess he was disabled. He looked at me and smiled, ‘Good Morning To You.’ He emphasised each word and sounded as if he meant it.

He drove off. I mused…

Good… Today is good. I’ve had one or two rubbish days recently. Stuff has happened, people have said things, I’ve got grumpy/cross/anxious/tearful…but today is good.

Morning… It’s morning again. I slept last night. I’ve woken up to a new morning. I’m walking and relatively healthy. The world keeps turning. My little life keeps going…

To… To implies action and direction. We go ‘to’ a place, we give ‘to’ a person. This kind gent was positively wishing, pushing, a ‘good morning’ in my direction.

You… It was personal. There were other people around…but he was looking at me, talking to me and wishing me well. No-one else.

I returned home and read my Bible. My attention was drawn to some lines that have meant a lot to me in the past.

‘Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping , carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheeves with him.’ (Psalm 126:5-6)

I read some helpful notes I had from when my friend Jim preached on these words seven years ago. I mused further on working/busy/active/sowing days, on grumpy/cross/anxious/tearful days…

I hope and pray ‘Good Morning To You’ (and me) that will include joyful singing and harvest carrying.