Whether this was a saying known only to my Mum I am not quite sure. However, as the phrase suggests, she used it to describe females of a wandering disposition, an inability to settle in either job, place, relationship or all three. I was reminded of this recently when reading a book called Two Legs, Four Paws written by Spud Ponsonby Taylor. In it she describes the walk all round the coastline of Britain in aid of Shelter which she undertook in the 1990s with the companionship of her dog – as well as help from many friends along the way who moved her caravan on from each overnight stop. All along the way she shares her thoughts on the things she observes around her or that are provoked by them. Towards the end she writes something which has given me some considerable pause for thought. She is thinking about the cause about which she is passionate, homelessness, and follows it through to it meaning not just without a home, perhaps living in a cardboard box but also people who have no security, family, friendship or trust and isolated by society. Added to this, she writes, “Wandering tribes do not feel ‘homeless’ because they have the companionship and security of the rest of the tribe”, her conclusion being that members of our own tribe are lost. Food for thought, what do we see when we look at people we see to be disadvantaged or marginalised I wonder.
It has been said that there is nothing like a common cause to foster friendship, help for those around and to work hard together. Wartime Britain is an example though probably the least desirable situation to live through. Perhaps our faith and mission work could be a much better example, I would hope; in fact the hymn (Mission Praise 32) ‘An army of ordinary people expresses this so well’ written by Dave Bilborough:
“An army of ordinary people
A kingdom where love is the key
A city, a light to the nations
Heirs to the promise are we
A people whose life is in Jesus
A nation together we stand
Only through grace are we worthy
Inheritors of the land
A new day is dawning
A new age to come
When the children of promise
Shall flow together as one
A truth long neglected
But the time has now come
When the children of promise
Shall flow together as one
A people without recognition
But with Him a destiny sealed
Called to a heavenly vision
His purpose shall be fulfilled
Come, let us stand strong together
Abandon ourselves to the King
His love shall be ours forever
This victory song we shall sing”
A new day…….
Pam