Interesting sculptures around town

We have got lots of great sculptures in King’s Lynn; I am no great artist, but I love stumbling across interesting pieces in the town. A couple have caught my eye recently as I wandered around. The first by Mark Goldsworthy is in The Walks. It shows a family having fun together. Each of the parents is carrying a child – one is on piggyback, the other is swinging in front. The second sculpture by Ben Platts-Mills is by the river on the edge of Harding‘s Pits. This one is more mysterious. It shows a man impressively balancing on top of two hand-standing acrobats. He is carrying a simple boat on his head. It is one of those sculptures that takes a bit of looking at to work it out.These sculptures have made me think about what I carry, not physically but more metaphorically. We all carry various things: past experiences, past hurts, and regrets. The weight of expectations from others can be great and sometimes hard to bear. We may carry worries for our loved ones and ourselves. Many of us have fears about money or our health. Things can keep running through our minds and impact our mental health. Some of our burdens can feel very heavy.We don’t need to carry all our burdens by ourselves. They say that a problem shared is a problem halved. It may not always be true, but certainly sharing our worries with a trusted friend or family member (especially if a cup of tea is involved) will often make us feel a little bit lighter. Maybe we will need some professional help. A new perspective, possible solutions, or just understanding and empathy can give us the strength to keep going.

We can also share our burdens and worries with God. When we pray, we can know that God hears us. We can pray aloud; or silently in our hearts; by writing things down or simply by lighting a candle. The Bible tells us that Jesus is there for us and will carry our burdens and worries. We are not alone. Jesus says: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” We do not need to keep struggling if our burdens have become too burdensome for us. We can share our worries with someone else or share them with God. Our burdens, whatever they are, are never too burdensome for God.Rev Fiona MunnKing’s Lynn Team Ministry