The River Lagan
is being cleared of debris.
Mud and tree trunks,
lamp posts and black bins
are all scooped out of the Lagan
and shovelled into
many, many barges.

I’ve been watching the progress,
fascinated.
I’ve seen tonnes of mud
being shovelled onto barges
and I’ve seen full barges replaced
by empty barges.
but I have never actually seen
any of the barges move.

The barges don’t appear
to have an engine –
How can they possibly move?

Then one day
I find the answer.
A wee, tiny,
totally insignificant-looking
orange boat
positions itself carefully
beside the huge barge
and then drags it
upstream.
Amazing to see –
like a mouse dragging an elephant!

So that’s how they do it!

Seeing this reminds me
of those times in my life
when I find myself
in a seemingly impossible situation,
unsure of what to do,
unable to act.
Each time
My God appears
ever so quietly by my side
and then gently but firmly
leads me
where I need to go
(just like an invisible tug boat!)

© Claire Murray, 15th Dec 2019