‘Facing the Storm’ by Eddie Askew

Behind the carved oak pulpit in the old church, I noticed a mark on the worn wall. At first glance, I thought it was just a random roughness, a shadow on the stone. Then I realised it was an outline of a cross. It must have hung there for years and, when taken down, it left a mark on the wall.

As individuals we leave a mark. Most of us lead unremarkable lives. Actually, I’m not so sure about that. When you get to know people, you find few who are ‘ordinary’. No-one is exactly like another. Each is remarkable in individual experience. Each of us has something of value to give. Yet our presence in the world, our faithful performance of the little acts of daily living,     makes it mark.

There are times when we feel useless. We can’t stop the steamroller of world events without getting flattened. No one listens to the thin sound of our protest. But ‘your living shall not be in vain’, as the song puts it.

We make our mark and, however small it is, it’s our mark.