I’m writing this post on New Year’s Eve and I’ve been thinking (as I’m sure many of us have) about stepping away from 2025 and walking into 2026. Having fallen recently, walking doesn’t seem like one of my particular skills, unfortunately, and I’m quite nervous about falling again.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been crawling under the branches of our Christmas tree in the late afternoon each day to find the switch for the tree lights. The tree is on a small table but the branches extend a long way beyond it and, if it’s a bit of a struggle to get beneath them en route to the plug, it’s even more difficult to get back out again without sweeping lots of tree decorations to the floor. I’ve become quite good at crawling in reverse and find it’s quite a good exercise for the arms, legs and brain, if not the knees!
While not all babies use crawling as a prelude to walking, many do. I’ve been told that I did and, strangely, my newfound confidence with crawling is encouraging me to be less fearful about walking. I just need to raise myself up to walking height, then stride out confidently.
One of my Christmas gifts was a set of walking poles and I’ve been trying them out in recent days. At first, I found it very difficult to cross walk: coordinating the movement of the pole in my left hand with my forward step of my right leg and vice versa. Within a few steps I was always using the same arm as leg. It’s been a case of learning to walk being more consciously of what comes naturally.
However, I’m hopeful that now I seem to have mastered the technique and with a range of interchangeable tips for the poles, I’ll be held securely in an upright position whatever the weather conditions or type of ground beneath my feet.
Looking back over 2025 I can think of many times when I felt as though I was crawling, lacking the motivation and impetus to move forwards or, sometimes, even backwards, or unable to turn thoughts and ideas into actions.
At other times I’ve gone forwards but in such a wobbly, uncertain way that a fall (just a metaphorical one even!) seemed inevitable. And yet, at other times I’ve felt that I’m striding along in an almost perfectly coordinated and balanced way.
So, how do I feel about walking into the new year of 2026? On a purely physical level, I’m rather dreading the next few days and weeks which may bring cold and, worse still, icy weather. In early January many years ago I broke an elbow as a result of falling on an icy pavement and so I’m always very nervous at this time.
Looking forward to the next phase of my spiritual life, however, I feel on a much firmer footing. I have Jesus as a constant companion in my walk: walking ahead of me to clear a path and point out the hazards, walking alongside me to direct my thoughts, steps and decisions and behind me to catch me and gently set me upright again when I fall or when my brain gets too frazzled by my lack of coordination.
If I can relinquish my need to be the one in charge of my walk through the days and weeks of 2026 and the inevitable mix of blessings and challenges the year will produce, then I know I’ll feel much safer, more secure and able to take better note of the experiences I’m having and to see clearly the footprints of the one I’m following.
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Every blessing to you for your spiritual walk through 2026.
Sunlight Through the Shadows 