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They Also Serve Who Only Stand And Wait
Reflections on these famous lines
They also serve who only stand and wait
These lines from John Milton’s famous poem ‘on his blindness,’ which I read in school, stayed with me.
In this poem, Milton, who became completely blind by age 40, initially lamented his loss of sight and what it meant for his creative pursuits and devotion to God. For Milton, a man of faith, writing was a sacred call, and he thought he would be failing his duty to God by not using his God-given talent; he regretted that, because of his loss of sight, he wouldn’t be able to write. In the end, however, as he writes, ‘They also serve who only stand and wait’, he surrendered to God’s will and showed that we can devote ourselves to God by accepting His will.
I have reflected on these lines and their meaning many times. As I became more aligned with my spiritual self and my devotion and faith grew, I began to realize the deep meaning of acceptance and fortitude in these lines. We all plan things and have lofty ideas about what we want to do in life. However, many a time life throws a curveball at us, and we have to change course; how we deal with these disappointments and challenges of life is a real test of our faith and understanding of life.
