A Fence or An Ambulance

There’s a path close to the edge of a cliff. What’s required? A fence at the top to prevent people from falling, or an ambulance at the bottom to treat those who fall? Joseph Malins’ poem ‘A Fence or an Ambulance’ starts: 

‘Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;
but over its terrible edge there had slipped
a duke and full many a peasant.
So the people said something would have to be done,
but their projects did not at all tally;
some said, ‘Put a fence ’round the edge of the cliff, ‘
some, ‘An ambulance down in the valley.’

I’ve heard this question asked in many contexts – education, health-care, social-care, church… Malins was a temperance activist so he may have had the evils of alcohol in mind…

Yesterday a group of us walked round The Seagull Theatre doing a ‘Health and Safety Walkabout’… checking on emergency exit signage, reporting on trip hazards, trailing extension electricity cables, accessibility to dangerous cleaning liquids or workshop tools… Risk assessments – the cliff-top fence.

We can avoid dangerous cliff-tops… but then we would never play sport because we might get hurt, never get into our cars because roads are dangerous, and avoid people, because they might carry a contagious disease.

Sometimes the cliff-path walk may have dangers that we can mitigate against… but life’s pathway may take us over unavoidable dangerous cliffs; sometimes the cliff-top walk is enjoyable and we can appreciate the breath-taking views.

Musing…

…Jesus, the good shepherd, leads his flock, keeping them together safely along cliff-tops, providing the safety fence of the sheep-fold, searching for the lost sheep who has fallen down the cliff.

…Some of my friends are close to the edge… Sometimes I need to walk with them – watchfully standing between them and the drop; sometimes I need to ensure there is strong reliable fencing; all the time I’m aware that they may fall, and the rapid-response ambulance must be available…