Unseen, Vital, But Often Forgotten

The Seagull Theatre is a converted 1895-built school that I’ve been involved with for 30 years. This was an exciting week for The Seagull – work started on our £300,000 development project. Our new facilities will include an accessible toilet block, rehearsal studio, extra dressing room, large workshop space…

Gilberts, our local builders, have dug trenches and laid concrete foundations… In a few months we’ll see the building but not the foundations… unseen, vital but often forgotten.

Yesterday Andy-the-electrician completed his work in our new kitchen… sockets, connections for the cooker, fridge, freezer, washing machine…

Scott-the-fitter continues his work. We can see what he’s done – work surfaces, doors to the cupboards and units, sparkling new appliances. But Chris-the-plasterer and Andy-the electrician… excellent, skilled tradesmen… most of their work is unseen, vital, but often forgotten.

Gordon-the-handyman also visited yesterday. I’d successfully and dramatically broken our toilet seat… and was unable to repair it! Gordon helped us out. We now have a new, fully functional, toilet seat. Gordon’s work was unseen by most family members. It’s vital… but will soon be forgotten.

I was chatting to Nick-the-funeral-director. He was on-call on Wednesday night. At 11.00 he received a call from North Walsham 40 miles away. He had to drive there and deal respectfully and appropriately with a lady who’d sadly passed away. He returned home at about 1.30am.

Much of Nick’s work with people from death to funeral is unseen, vital, but often forgotten.

Musing… Isaiah 35… ‘Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong and do not fear; for your God is coming…’ And when he comes he will open the eyes of the blind, and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those that cannot speak will sing for joy! …Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.’

…The God I believe in is active for good in the world around us. He’s unseen, vital, but often forgotten.