When I was a teenager the Beatles were singing about love:
She says she loves you
And you know that can’t be bad
Yes, she loves you
And you know you should be glad
Bob Dylan was singing about peace and freedom:
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take ’til he knows
That too many people have died?
Songs and life were straightforward and made sense.
But then things changed. The Beatles sung ‘I am the walrus’:
Semolina Pilchard
Climbing up the Eiffel tower
Elementary penguin singing
Hare Krishna
Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allen Poe
I learnt Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man. I thought I understood but wasn’t sure:
Though you might hear laughing, spinning
Swinging madly through the sun
It’s not aimed at anyone, it’s just escaping, on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facing.
Songs, life became more complex.
This describes my experience. Life’s stable and predictable: she loves me – I’m glad not sad. Life changes – I’m a confused walrus with a semolina pilchard.
Twenty-five years ago I was a husband, father, headteacher, church-leader, preacher… My identity and role brought clear expectations and purpose. Then things changed. I became a grandfather, retired from teaching, left church leadership, got older – less sharp physically and mentally. My abilities, role and identity were uncertain. I felt like an ‘elementary penguin singing ‘Hare Krishna’’.
This morning I read these familiar words. ‘Elders’ are described as ‘shepherds’, looking after sheep. They’re to care, love, cherish, be emotionally involved… to serve, give rather than receive, be actively involved… to be an example to those younger and less experienced.
At Christmas I keep can keep busy – putting up lights, buying presents, meeting people, watching, singing, playing, but activity can still hide the confused walrus or purposeless penguin in me. Rather I can be the shepherd who intentionally cares, serves and seeks to be a good example.
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As a fellow confused walrus, this is great and you are most definitely the best shepherd and advert for Shepherdimg. Thank you xxxx
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Thanks, John. I’m still wondering what it is to be ‘the egg man’ – coo, coo, kachoo
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Wow! You’ve actually packed quite the message within these lines and I enjoyed every step of the journey through them. This is a thoughtful and honest way of describing something many people experience but rarely name… the quiet disorientation that comes when familiar roles fade and life no longer feels neatly defined. I appreciate how you traced that shift from clarity to complexity, and then brought it back to Scripture, where purpose is not lost with age or changing capacity, but refined.
What stands out is the contrast between busyness and faithfulness. Activity can keep us occupied, but it doesn’t always answer the deeper question of why we are here in this season. The image of shepherding is a steady one – rooted in care, example, and presence rather than position. Scripture reminds us that God’s call doesn’t diminish as roles change; it often becomes quieter, deeper, and more relational.
This reflection feels especially fitting for this time of year. In the midst of Christmas activity, it gently redirects attention to a purpose that doesn’t depend on visibility or productivity, but on faithful care, mirroring the Chief Shepherd Himself.
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Thanks for these insights, Kimberley. I particularly appreciate the distinction between busyness and faithfulness; being faithful may keep us busy, but the two aren’t the same…. And the steady consistent nature of shepherding is a good reminder. And the perspective of faith gives additional motivation, example and purpose.
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