Don’t Worry, Oh Bother, Allelujah

Don’t Worry… At our ‘Music For Wellbeing’ group yesterday there was noise, laughter and enthusiastic singing. Helen led us through a number of upbeat songs – including this old Bob Marley song:

Don’t worry, about a thing
‘Cause every little thing, gonna be all right

Yesterday Patrick informed us: ‘It’s officially spring. Freda has woken up and come out of her hidey hole!’

Spring’s here, Freda’s woken up, everything’s all right – Don’t worry!

Oh Bother…  Yesterday Tim sent this message: ‘Just had a phone call from Barts: Operation postponed 2 days: Now on the 30^th: “Bother “ said Pooh’

I identify with Winnie-the-Pooh – getting stuck in holes, falling into trouble, suffering messiness… I identify with Tim… delayed hopes, altered plans, life presenting the unexpected or unwanted…

Pooh’s and Tim’s problems will be resolved. It might require time, patience, and perhaps a little help from Piglet or a hospital surgeon, but this is only a temporary setback. For now it’s ‘Oh bother’

Allelujah… We went to see the film ‘Alleluja’. The plot revolves around a geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital. The cast includes Jennifer Saunders, Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench…

The hospital’s threatened with closure. It looks like a few ‘oh, bothers’ will be resolved in a final ‘don’t worry’. Instead we have unresolved messy problems… the practice of euthanasia, caring and dignity in a financially unprofitable business…

…Thinking of friends living with bereavement, sadness, unresolved grief… ‘don’t worry’ would be an insult, ‘oh bother’ would be empty words…

In the ancient story a suffering Job says: ‘All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me. I am nothing but skin and bones…’ He’s well passed ‘don’t worry’ and ‘oh bother’.

He continues: ‘I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth…’ It’s only when he’s been through his suffering, clung desperately to his faith, and come out the other side that he can say – and mean – ‘Allelujah’.