The Verandah

Australians often sit on the verandah and wait.
We wait, some of us, for the sun to rise; others for the sun to set.
We wait for the storm to blow over the hills and water the parched paddocks.
We wait there for a spouse to return or to watch over our children at play.
Upon its boards we wait for the passing neighbour and the grace of their greeting.

On the verandah, too, we wonder about so much…
In the quieter moments we drift into gratefulness and the prayer it sparks within us.
We feel our sorrows, our pain, and our doubts.
We shed our tears and relish our joys.

On the verandah, we’ve often held the hand of another who also knows the mystery of waiting – spouse, friend, child, parent, and yes – God.