Ways of walking

‘Not all those who wander are lost’ J R R Tolkien 

‘Wandering’ has a bad reputation. The word derives from the Old English wandrian meaning to move about aimlessly, or without a settled course or purpose. When applied to the mind, wandering meant ‘Not directed by reason or fixed purposes, random, wanton’ (OED). So from the word’s origins, it had associations with both sinfulness and inefficiency! 

In the Old Testament, being made to ‘wander’ is a punishment. Having murdered his brother Abel, Cain is condemned to become a ‘fugitive and a wanderer on the earth’ (Genesis 4.12). The people of Israel are liberated from Egypt but find themselves taking the less direct route to the Promised Land. Wandering in the wilderness without food or drink, they start to question God’s purpose for them. As a result, they are made to wander more (Numbers 32:13). 

Much of modern life – in our workplaces, home life, leisure time and even spiritual life – is very goal-driven. We are motivated by targets and ‘to do’ lists. But what might happen if we took some time to ‘wander’ more, physically, mentally or spiritually? After all, creativity includes some degree of imagining and wandering before settling on a definite outcome. Wandering may lead to wondering. 

I often set out on a walk with a route in mind then something causes me to wander and then to wonder. I might turn aside to look at a particular flower just coming into bloom, or to follow the path of a swallow swooping low over a field. I might come across a view I haven’t encountered before, seeing things from a different angle. In the Old Testament, Moses ‘turned aside’ from tending his flock to look more closely at a burning bush and found himself on holy ground (Exodus 3:3). Wandering can lead to a life-changing encounter with the living God. 

Why not let yourself ‘wander’ a bit more this week – during a lunch break, or on a regular walk, or even in your imagination – and see what ‘wonders’ you encounter as a result?