Travellers in January
As we look out of the windows of our canal-side house at Fazeley Junction in early January, we see the frozen-over muddy brown water, and at times, perplexed ducks, swans, geese, moorhens etc, unable to get on their way. An occasional boat crashes past (until the ice thickens), but the water freezes over again.
The welcome sun shines down, but the roofs are still frost white. On the other side of the house, the cars have to be scraped before they can travel anywhere safely. Homebound school-children on the towpath throw stones to test the ice. Travellers all.
Thus the canal remains significant in our lives, even though we now have no boat (bye Kew!).
At this season of Epiphany, we remember three serious travellers, more likely by camel rather than by canal, whose travels would help the story of an unusual birth and life in Bethlehem (and Nazareth) to be spread far beyond the world of the Jews and even of the Roman Empire.
As we plan our Summer cruises, festivals etc, let us all strive to share the same key story around the canals and rivers.