SELF COMPASSION

It seems strange to have compassion for oneself when true compassion is almost always related to others.

However, there is a great element of truth in the belief that how we look on ourselves, gives us a knowledge of how we treat those around us.

If I am hard on myself and don't allow for weakness, then I will begin to behave that same way towards others.

However, when I am able to accept my weaknesses and learn to see myself in the light of truth, I will be free to accept and love my friends truly.

'Love one another as I have loved you'

GIFT of FAITH

The most precious gift that one can have is the Gift of Faith.

When we believe in God, as our Divine Creator, we are connected to all that is good and positive and beautiful in His Creation of the World, and more especially, the Creation of Mankind.

To truly believe that each person is special in the Eyes of God is a great way to learn to love the people around us, and all we meet in the course of our lives.

With Faith we are moved and inspired to see God's Loving Hand in all that happens to us, in what we love and also, in the difficulties and challenges that come our way.

We learn to grow as a person and take on the persona of Jesus, the Son of God.           We may never fully know or understand the Greatness of God, yet we can learn to imitate the compassion and love shown to us in the life of Christ.

SPIRIT of CHRISTMAS

The Spirit of Christmas is found in our ability to care for, and reach out to family and friends and even those who are strangers to us, yet have a need for help.

When we look at a Crib, at the young mother Mary and her new born child Jesus, we are easily moved with compassion for their plight. Joseph is there as their support and guardian, yet he too is poor and without worldly possessions.

Did God not care enough for them?  However, when we look at the birth of Christ with eyes of Faith, we can begin to understand the Mind of God.

We have been given a wonderful world, and we can learn to enjoy the pleasure of good food and friends and the comfort of living a good life.

However, this is only a foundation, a help towards becoming the true person that God invites us to become.

We are invited to love, and in loving there will be suffering too. We are called to love God and be guided, not by our own limited wisdom, but by the Wisdom of God.

LIGHTHOUSE

There are times when we might be affected by low spirts / feel unable to rise up and be the positive light that God intends for us to become. There may be a dark shadow over the Light, hiding our brilliance.

To be the Light that God invites us to be, is not always easy at first, yet as soon as we respond and reach out to others, we transform ourselves into a Beacon of Light!

We will allow ourselves space so our light can be seen.  We can appear to be just like a candle in the dark, yet how wonderful to be transformed into a Light that can set the World on fire!  

The Power of God is only limited by our lack of Faith.  Whenever we try, even if our feelings do not respond, we can and we will become, like Christ, a Light that shines out and will dispel darkness.  

With a simple, positive thought, we become what we believe is possible. We become a Lighthouse, which will guide us and others towards a life of Love and Joy! 

LISTEN

To be a good listener is a great gift to have, because people love to be listened to, especially children.  They want to be heard and we might forget to take on board their need to be listened too.

In a way, each one of us is just like a child, wanting to share ourselves with others. We are not looking for approval for everything we say and yet, the need is there for others to listen to us.  

What we way may be incorrect, lacking correct facts etc. We may think we are right when we are wrong, yet when someone else listens to us, we learn to re-assess our thinking and so, we learn from others about what is right.

Good friendships come about when people are able and willing to listen to what the other person has to say.  Dialogue comes about and an awareness of how individual each person is, and value is put on what they have to say.

Perhaps we learn most when we become a good listener and in that way, we learn to listen to ourselves, we listen to our 'inner voice' which guides us towards Truth!

ALL SAINTS DAY

 Today, the 1st of November, is All Saints Day.  A great reminder to each one of us to aim at sainthood, which is an invitation to be friends with Christ.

When we look at the apostles, at how weak and vulnerable they were; unable to be more than human persons with good will, then we have their great examples to follow as regards becoming saints.

Sainthood is based on giving all with a good heart; a willingness to follow the teachings of Christ.  We only become more than we are, by the Grace of God.

Even a child can become a saint and have this loving friendship with Christ. So, why not us?  Can we be faithful to the inspirations and motivations that come our way to help us to become a true Christian?

Perhaps, it is easier than we think. Just lift the little foot and follow in the footsteps of Christ, our best Mentor.     'Fear not... '   'Love one another'    'Give all for All'.

CALLING...

I believe every person has a definite purpose in life, a Calling to follow, and by following that calling, will discover the secret to a happy life.

If we are open minded and aware of our desire to be happy and able to be ourselves, no matter what our circumstances in life may be, then we will discover our calling and respond with a willing heart.

Today, my friends and I watched a dvd about Monks in a Cistercian Monastery in England. The dvd was called 'Outside the City'. The monks were so natural and willing to share their reasons for becoming a monk.  They received a calling and obeyed the call.  

Each monk had their story to tell; of their desire to love God.  So simple and so profound.

Most people are called to have a family / some to become scientists and poets and writers.  ALL of us are called to find our path to God. 

WEAKNESS

Life can be a good balance of strengths and weaknesses.  What one might call the ups and downs of life.

Just lately, my weaknesses seem to outweigh my strengths.  This can be discouraging and sometimes frightening.  One can feel unbalanced and unable to respond logically and clearly to the challenges of life.

However, knowing the true purpose of weakness can become my strength. When I am weak, then I can allow God to become my strength.

'When I am weak, then I am strong.'  How wonderful and encouraging it is to know that we can choose to allow God to be our strength, at all times.

POSITIVE LOCKDOWN

Years ago, I was invited to make a 'Silent' Retreat.  The Convent Centre was outside Dublin. The time slot was for a weekend, beginning Friday night and finishing up on Sunday afternoon.  This was a 'first' for me and I was looking forward to the whole adventure of Silence!

The first evening began with a chat about the Retreat we were going to do; taking time out from our normal busy life and adapting to a quiet space, an opportunity to develop and increase our spiritual life.

For me, that first night was an eye opener.  I couldn't sleep. It was too quiet; no cars or street lights or activity, the way it would be in the City.  We were surrounded by darkness and a very occasional sound of a owl or something, and silence!

However, it turned out to be a wonderful Retreat, stepping away from all the outer noises of life, and connecting with an awareness of the 'inner' peace within.

Now, with Covid 19 and lockdown, there is a certain similarity taking place, of living a quiet life away from the hustle and bustle of accepted modern life.  In a way, we are being invited to pace ourselves more quietly and peacefully; letting go of many things that prove to be non essential. 

If accepted with a good heart, we might well receive a positive attitude to lockdown, and find room in our lives for periods of welcome Silence!  

To be One with God

 When we want to be friends with someone, we become like an apprentice, learning about them / what pleases them / likes and dislikes etc.

The result is a loving friendship which enhances our lives and theirs too. Through the efforts we make to become a true friend, our lives are enriched with happiness.

The same applies to our relationship with God.  We don't know God and yet, through the Gospels and the life of Christ we become aware of a Loving Creator who cares about each one of us and who desires to teach us about compassion and love.

To be One with God is a challenge and one that will help us to be 'God-like' in our dealings and relationships with others. What a wonderful way to live our lives.

A FIGHTING SPIRIT!

 A fighting spirit is needed today to help us get through the many challenges that come our way, especially during Covid 19.

Some may believe that a fighting spirit is found in protesting against this or that, and as we are many varied persons, there will be many opinions as to what to fight. 

I believe the fighting spirit we need is found in delving into ourselves and discovering what it is that causes us unrest and worry.

When we think of the Christian message, we are constantly reminded to Fear Not! This is great advise and if we can follow this, then we learn that the battle we have is within ourselves / with ourselves.

If I can conquer myself and the many things that cause disturbance within me, then I can and will be content to challenge myself and be a fighting spirit, working for peace and happiness.

Begin with the little, nitty gritty things that disturb our inner peace. Conquer them and we can be proud to call ourselves a truly Fighting Spirit!

TRUST

Today, beginning our lockdown in level 3 is an invitation to trust, to trust in God who is above all and to trust in each other that we will respond with good will and not be afraid of the challenges that come our way.

We don't have answers for the future, so the best that we can do is respond now, with trust and faith that all will be well.  We have a lovely country with the sun shining and reminding us that life is beautiful.

Let's spend a little time today in finding 'gems' of beauty to admire and make them part of our lives.  It can be a smile / timeout to enjoy a walk / a creative inspiration to write a poem or letter or whatever.  Life is wonderful and even more so when we give our selves time to enjoy it.

Trust that all will be well.  Trust that God is above ALL  and loves us very much.

Purpose in Life

No matter who we are, or where we are, or what we do, we need a strong purpose in life, a fulfillment for having a life.

For me, my Faith in God guides me towards being a true Christian, a follower of Christ, able and willing to care about others.  Perhaps I'm not able to do much and yet, just to care is the beginning of learning how to love.

Everyone of us, living on this wonderful Planet, need a purpose in our lives.  We need direction and knowledge to understand and follow the good inspirations we  receive. When we believe in God and believe that God loves us, then all is well.

We may not do great things, or become known as leaders and heroes and yet, just by having a belief in our Divine Creator, we will inspire and help those around us to be the best that they can be and we ourselves will become the best that we can be.

God loves us and especially loves us to love and value life.

TIME OUT

 When the world around us becomes stressful, we can slowly become part of this pandemic stress, then it's wise to allow ourselves 'Time  out' and learn to refocus.

For myself, becoming over-concerned about things can and does become a fault and weakness that leads nowhere, so now I'm beginning to learn about Time out. To step away from whatever might cause worry or anxiety and simply lean on God.

After all, we have the audacity to call God a loving Father, a Supreme Creator who cares for each one of us, so why not burden God with whatever worries we have and ask for assistance, just like a child would do with a loving Father.

Perhaps, the key to being able to do so, is found in our willingness to take Time out. Study where our anxieties and worries come from and discover that these 'negative' worries do not come from God.

All that pertains to God is positive and encouraging, so let us learn bit by bit to discard all thoughts that discourage and weigh us down.  This way, we will be able to see how much we are protected and loved by God and of course, take Time out to thank God for being our best support in life.

PUT LOVE FIRST.

 I listened to a great reading this morning, by St. Paul.  Paul's letter was sent as a guide to the early Christians and encouraging them to have Faith and Hope and above all, put Love first.

It makes me wonder about our Christian values of today.  I know and believe how important it is to have Faith, to believe in the goodness of God and also to have Hope that all will be well.  God is guiding our lives and in so many ways and  encouraging us to Love one another as He loves us.

Pay no attention to mistakes and failures. Be humbled by them and then move on to Love.  The more efforts we make to put Love first, the more power is given to us to put God first.

JEALOUSY

 I'm reminded of a song my nanny used to sing... 'Jealous heart,  oh jealous heart stop beating. Can't you see the damage you have done...'   I was young at the time and didn't understand the words, yet I liked the song and the fact that I was able to learn the words.

Now, as a supposedly mature adult, I can fully understand the damage that jealousy can cause and also the pain when one is jealous of another person for whatever reason.  We are called to love and so there is no room for jealousy as it impedes love and causes pain.  

The soul that is willing to choose to love in all situations and pay no attention to feelings that would deter the soul from loving is one that is very pleasing to God and to others too.  

We may not be perfect at loving, yet as long as we put love first, we will have the power of God with us, always.

KIND THOUGHTS

It is a good thing to realize that people are individual / unique and so they will respond to life in different ways, whereas we might think they should respond to things that happen the same way we do.

For myself, I like going to Church. It's a good, quiet place where one is free to relax and allow oneself to reflect on what life is all about.  And so, I used to find myself wondering about people, especially old people and wonder why they didn't feel a need to go to Church or to give time to prayers and important stuff like that.

Then Covid 19 came along and persisted in staying with us, so Y2020 I was alarmed to hear our priest encourage older people NOT to come to Church.  It was as if all my solid values were turned upside down and forcing me to find a more perfect way to develop my love for God.  

I now realize that God represents Love and the best way to have a relationship with God is to become love, in our actions and in our thoughts especially.

Kind thoughts bind people together.  Being different is no excuse for not caring. We personify God by all the loving ways/ thoughts and actions we fit into our lives.

LIMBO

 There are times in our lives when we find ourselves a bit lost, being inspired to step away from the norm, yet not knowing how to do so.

In a way, you could call it a state of Limbo, neither going forward or backward. Something new is about to happen and we must wait, simply wait.

This might be where we become frustrated or worried or disturbed by not knowing. A moment of reflection and a little faith and we will begin to realize that something wonderful is about to happen.

Not knowing is hard and can make us feel insecure and vulnerable. No worries. God is with us every step of the way, guiding us into a new place where we will be able to move forward and learn to trust in His concern and Love for us.

'I am with you always, even to the end of the world'.

TIME to do Nothing!

If we examine ourselves it will be easy to see that most of our lives are occupied with doing things.  There is always a job list and hopefully time enough to get stuck in and the joy of crossing something off our list, only to put something else in its place. 

What about TIME to do nothing?  How can that happen and is it a good thing to do nothing?  Yes, oh yes. It is a blessing to be able to come away from activity and allow ourselves to relax in a state of being 'nothing'.

It can happen that we become what we do, instead of being who we are, a spiritual being with a link to our Creator who has a special plan for each one of us.

When we can let go of all the plans that buzz around in our head, then we may and hopefully will be guided by our spiritual being, able and willing to live in each moment without putting an outer cover on the person we think we are.

Give time to doing nothing, even for a moment now and then, and be surprised and aware of how much more one can become!

Put Love first...

 There are times when we are weak, perhaps physically or mentally or both. 

We have a need for consolation and somehow need to come away from whatever negative feelings or worries that might assail us.

Being weak can be a blessing in disguise because we become aware of our need for help, our need for God.  Simply by realizing this will allow God to lavish His compassionate love on us.

The challenge is to learn to avoid any negative thoughts that might come. We can relax in our weak state, full of confidence that God, like a Loving Father, is looking after us / prompting us / guiding us and comforting us.

The more we are able to be like a child, believing that our Loving Father is with us and will never forsake us, we will regain our peace of mind.  God does not leave us.  Often, it is we who move away from God.

Learn to relax in whatever state of weakness we find ourselves and give time for God to step into our lives and become our Mentor.

St. Paul was known to say, ' In my weakness, I find my strength!'

MY BOOK

My main interest for writing my Book, Pen to Paper, is to encourage others to write and introduce the positive side to Creative Writing.

I've always had an interest and love for words and when the idea of writing a book came to mind, I realized this would be a wonderful way to share my love for writing with others.

I hope this has come across in the many examples given of different ways of writing, using the prompts and exercises in the book.

I especially hope that you have enjoyed my stories and memoirs and plays and poems.  

Writing is meant to be a fun exercise where we can facilitate our creativity and even learn more about ourselves through the inspirations and ideas that come to mind.

Pen to Paper, let's write!

FEAR

In the climate that we are experiencing in relation to Covid-19, it's almost impossible to be free from fear.

The danger of contamination is so scary and hard to tackle without making mistakes or becoming too permissive and not caring enough.

We are mostly guided by what we can see and touch and feel a concrete awareness of the battle we are fighting, yet because it is an invisible enemy, we can run away by pretending we don't care.

This will never work in relation to ridding ourselves of fear.

Although many fears are fabricated in our minds, with a virus and the knowledge that people are dying, it would be nonsense to ignore the dangers we are facing.  Fear and fears of any kind must be addressed and a solution found so we can regain freedom and a healthy good will.

God loves us, so He is not testing us, simply giving us opportunities to choose love and banish fear.

Can we do that?  I believe we can.

What rids us of fear is a positive spirit and a caring heart towards others.

We are not alone in this wonderful, yet scary world of ours.

The more we care for others, the more care we will take in finding positive solutions to all that might be a danger to ourselves or others.

Being of a spiritual mind is a God send.  This allows us to recognize God's love in even the most awkward situations.

Be positive and fear will disappear.  Be loving and we will be fulfilled!

A NEW BEGINNING...

When Covid-19 made a rude appearance in our country, we were faced with a certain fear and almost an awareness of something evil.

Our lives were being invaded by an enemy and in certain ways we could feel powerless to fight this enemy because it was invisible.

However, the powers that be were able to access the danger and work out ways that we could protect ourselves.

There would be sacrifices and the main one at first seemed to be keeping away from each other.  Where normally a kind greeting could and would be made with a hug and close contact, now that had to be forfeited.

Instructions were given and we were strongly advised to adhere to all recommendations, especially the washing of hands and careful hygiene methods.

Masks and gloves were introduced and caused more distance between people.

Two meters apart became a law to be obeyed and the worst of all, the knowledge that this unseen enemy was targeting older people, those more vulnerable and likely to become ill and even die.

I'm so grateful to the Irish people for stepping up to the mark and paying attention to all the recommendation made so those who are the weakest in the country can be protected.

In a way, this is the Christian message, to love one another and there are so many examples of this love, even to the heroic, through the Frontline workers and many, many people who have made it their business to look out for and help elderly persons in the community.

Perhaps, for each one of us, the call has been to go 'inward' and develop our relationship with our Creator; to recognize our need for God and learn to be at peace with ourselves.

A universal Retreat is taking place to help us to become more aware of what is important in life; to love and to be happy and free from stress.

There's no need to go back to how things used to be.  We are being invited to make a new beginning !

WISDOM

Wisdom is found where truth and simplicity live..

It's easy to be wise when one knows the right thing to do, yet often we don't know and so we need to be wise.. 

It's like what people say...  no point in closing the gate, after the horse has bolted!

Perhaps this is true and yet, so much wisdom is gained by our mistakes and failings.  When we fail, we can be upset and feel bad about ourselves...

This might be a normal response, yet not a healthy or wise decision.

A wise choice is to be glad and realize that our failures are lessons, teaching us how to become a better and wiser person.

After all, we are not perfect, yet are encouraged to become perfect in who we are and what we do.

A wise person will be able to learn quickly from failures and mistakes and regard them as a 'teacher'  teaching one how to become a perfected being.

A spiritual-minded person will be able to see God's Hand in all that comes their way and realize that God's compassionate love is to be found in the good use one makes of failure.

Such wisdom is gained when we love our weaknesses and are open to learn from every failing that come our way.

SURPRISES

Children love surprises and I guess we all do, depending on what the surprises are.

Covid-19 was a big surprise and still is.  We find ourselves uncomfortable with people, even family and are cautioned to keep a safe distance at all times.

Living in Community has made this easy for me. We don't go around hugging each other as our friendship is based on our 'inner us' where we are an encouragement to each other and promote positive thinking and speaking.

Where God is concerned, all persons belong to His family and He regards us as brothers and sisters, with a commandment to love one another as God loves us.

Now where does Surprises come into the picture?

Well, a loving father will love to surprise his children and God is no different. In fact, the love a father has for his family is based on God's compassionate love for us.

If we love surprises, then let us allow God to surprise us.  We may not always like the surprises that come our way, yet we can be confident they will be the very best and most essential surprises we could imagine, coming from Perfect Love

.

Move with the Times...

Being able to move with the times and adapt to changes that can and will happen is a wise approach to life.

It's so easy to snuggle into a state of security and safety and not want to move out and face the world and challenges that will come our way.

However, life itself will move us forward and it's good sense to adapt quickly.

The Covid 19 scare has frightened a lot of people and now they may even be afraid to leave their safe homes...

However, let's be guided by a spirit of courage and willingness to go forward.

Can we?  Will we be safe?  Perhaps yes and perhaps no and yet life is calling us to move forward and live and love and be happy.

God is always with us and we can always be with Him.

Positive versus Negative...

It would seem to be the problem in most people's lives, the battle between the Positive versus the Negative...

Being a positive person protects us from discouragement and certain failures that stem from our ego and pride.  

Of course, we are frail at times and to put it bluntly, negative.

We want to complain against wrong-doing and point out mistakes we believe others are doing.

However, complaining in itself is negative and so can rob us of our desire and efforts to be positive.

A truly positive person is one who is wise in protecting this positive spirit that allows one to be productive and forward-thinking.  

The answer to being a positive and like-able person is found in diligence and building up our awareness of when we are tempted to be negative.

When we look at the life of Christ and use Him as a guide, then we will learn to look for and find a positive solution to all that pertains to our lives.

Lets choose to be a cheerful and positive person!

God first!

In these strange times where fear may be as prevalent as Covid 19, it's good to focus on what is most important in our lives, being a spiritual person and having a close relationship with God, our Creator.

Looking at the history of the world, even in these days,  there are so many wrongs and often injustices that one could become taken up with fighting for what is right.

Perhaps, some people are called to spear-head groups and ways that will make it easier for others and yet, most of us are called to live our faith and trust in the truth that we are guided and supported by God's Loving Hand.

Constantly, Christ asked us and encouraged us to  'Fear not...'

I ask myself, what can I do?  What can each person do alone?

Our greatest weapon is our trust and belief that God is above all and will never desert us, never let us down.

So, fear not, simply put God first in our lives and all will be well.

BE AUTHENTIC:

It's possible for each person to realize their authenticity and become true to themselves in who they are and all that they do

It's also possible for us to be influenced by others, perhaps even those we admire and love and become false to ourselves.  

It may seem to be okay because we admire the good qualities in another person and so we want to be like them.

It's not so easy to avoid doing this because we learn so much from others and especially those we love and care about and yet, to be authentic is our calling.

Authenticity is the door to grace and inspiration.

By all means, learn from those who show us how to be a better and more loving self, yet follow the path of grace and be inspired by God to be true to the person that He has created.

In the spiritual world, we have the wonderful example of St. Francis of Assisi showing us the road to a life of Poverty and then, St. Dominic who shows us a life dedicated to Preaching the Gospel.

Their lives will always be an inspiration to read about and yet, I must be me!

WEAKNESS...

Lately, I've been a busy-bee catching up on my book and my work list and glad to be happy and healthy and thanking God for my life.

However, the other day, I felt weak and unable to manage my chores. This was not a good feeling for me and I had to take time out and rest.

Strange, how hard it can be to accept weakness. It seems to interfere with our lives and cause us to worry.

Upon reflection, I realize that Weakness is a blessing in disguise.

We learn to be more at peace with all that happens and in many ways are able to see God's Loving Hand in life itself.

Being able to link up with God's Will is where true peace of mind is found. So, now I will thank God for weakness and become more aware of just what a blessing it is to be weak. 

Our lives are in God's Loving Hands.

Social Life

Today I had my first Social Call, a good friend around for cuppa and chat.

We were both aware of social distancing and yet found it possible to be good company for one another.

Perhaps, the scare of the virus and contamination can be taken out of proportion and allow us to act more out of fear rather than love.

The best friendships are based on respect and so there is no need to be afraid, simply to respect each others need to be safe and yet sociable.

In the beginning, I found it hard not being able to hug because this would come naturally to me.  I realize now that the first step in any relationship is respect.

When we can and are able to respect one another's needs, then we have a wonderful foundation for friendship.

All else will follow and love is free to develop.

To realize how much God respects us and has given us the gift of Free Will then learning to respect others will follow naturally.

Keeping in Touch...

Being able to keep in touch with those we love and also to renew friendships via email or whatsApp is such a wonderful gift to have and to use as much as we can, especially at this time of Covid 19.

Perhaps the World is moving at such a quick pace and so we can lose time, precious time being involved with so many things and perhaps not always of great value in our lives.

Now that we are under threat of a Virus which can and is killing people, we are made aware of how precious time is.

To have time with those we love and care about is so important. We can do a lot of things, yet we cannot manufacture TIME!

So, today and each coming day, let's be precious with out time and allocate it to what is most important in our lives, to those we love.

FATIMA

Last year, June 2019, I got the opportunity to visit Portugal.

I had a strong desire to go to Fatima, yet it didn't seem possible at the time.

My friends, Veronica and Paul had chosen Portugal as their holiday break and invited me to join them for a week. I jumped at the chance.

Where they were staying was on the outskirts of Lisbon, the Capital. By trial and error we found our way to the Metro and had a wonderful day enjoying the sights. Lisbon is a beautiful City and not expensive either.

My next adventure was to travel solo to Fatima, first via Metro and then to find Coach depot and book myself onto the coach going to Fatima. 

Most of the two hour trip was spent chatting with an Indian lady.  She was on holiday with her husband and we had a good discussion about religion as she was Muslem, yet interested in the Christian faith. We chatted about Fatima and the story of our Lady appearing there. In her faith they use prayer beads, so I gifted her my rosary beads and we parted company as she was travelling further to the coast.

My next adventure was to find my Hotel. It seemed practical to get a taxi and within minutes I was deposited outside the Santa Antonia Hotel, situated just within walking distance of Fatima Cathedral! 

That evening after Mass,  I took part in the Procession of Light around the open square with hundreds of people, mostly families and some tourists too. What an delight to watch as each one of us carried our candles, forming a moving line of Light in the darkness and praying the rosary in different languages.  

Just the memory of it puts a longing on me to return again to Fatima!

True Devotion to Mary...

Today, 1st May 2020, the SOL Community will renew our True Devotion to Mary, a yearly commitment to Our Lady.
It can seem strange to go through Mary to God and yet it makes such sense too.
What better way to know someone than through their Mother.
In the Imitation of Christ we are guided to follow the life of Jesus and imitate his teachings and ways.
Well, I believe we honor Jesus in a wonderful way by making this commitment and saying, 'I am all Thine, my Queen and my Mother and all that I have is Thine'.
Mary, guide me and teach me how to love.

FRIENDS

The most valuable commodity that we can possess is friendship.

We may be poor or rich / intelligent or slow-learner / religious or not, the one gift to value is a good friend.

Of ourselves we cannot manufacture friendship / we cannot make someone be our friend, yet by the positive efforts we make, we can become a good friend and others will want to be friends with us.

The whole World is crying out for friendship.  Whatever effort we can make to allow this to happen, please let's do so.

When it comes to our spiritual journey in this life, the very best friend to have is Jesus.  Ponder on this for a moment and reflect on the life of Christ.

If someone can love us so much as to die for us, then can there be a higher love than that?

My Jesus, I love You.

A HELPING HAND...

In this crazy Covid 19 world scare, we can become afraid to step out and offer help to neighbours and friends too.

The social-distance requirement prevents us from giving a hug or sitting down to have a cuppa and chat with a good friend, yet there is so much more we can do.

Prayer comes to mind, especially when told of a friend on a ventilator, alone in Hospital.  When unable to reach out physically, we can reach out spiritually.

My brother Thomas, living alone in Dublin, is learning to tackle his fears about the virus.  His life has become more happy and able to manage because of good neighbours who shop for him and help out in many different ways, without infringing on social-distance requirement.

He would be lost without their support and there are many like him.

So, where ever we can, reach out and give a helping hand!

VOW of POSITIVE

Today we renewed our Vow of the Positive, promising that we will always see God 's goodness in all that pertains to us and the world at large.

A huge commitment and yet, such a great way to be free from negative thinking or being involved with any kind of negative discussion which will not lead to an awareness of God's love for us.

If we could only realize how insignificant we are compared to the great Universe and yet, Faith teaches us to believe that God loves each one of us individually.

Our minds may not be able to grasp this Truth and yet, once we can and do, we will be free to allow God's love to guide us and prompt us in how we live our lives and teach us how to love one another.

Most important, we learn to respond to God's love for us.

PRAYER

We learn from our Faith and also through events in our lives that Prayer is Powerful.  As soon as we sincerely speak to God from our heart, we are refreshed and made more complete.
The effort to give time to pray and to build up a loving relationship with our Creator is part of being fulfilled as a person.
We could look at the relationship we have with a person we care about and see how important it is to chat together and have time for each other.
Well, our relationship with God is just the same, to talk to God and listen to the inspirations that come when God speaks to us.
All this takes time and a genuine belief on our part to know that we are loved by God, a love beyond our understanding and so we learn to value the gift of Faith.

URBI et ORBI

Pope Francis gave a wonderful and moving blessing from the Vatican. The date was Friday 27th March, watched by millions of people around the world.

A special plea for detainment of the coronavirus which is spreading everywhere.

Ireland is already on 'lock-down' and we are cautioned to stay indoors and only go out within two kilometers of our home, and for good cause only.

He is a very heroic man to stand up to the evil that is ripe in our world today and is the main cause of this frightening virus.

What can we do?  What can I do?   Obedience and prayer will be my best weapons, to obey the rules that are being imposed on us, for the sake of saving lives, including our own.

Prayer is powerful, no matter how weak or timid our Faith. God understand us, more that we realize.  He is like a loving Father who cares and wants to guide us to have a good life, a great life, free from worry and anxiety.

Strange to say, God depends on our response.  We have a free will which is a blessing and a curse as we can so easily be misguided.

When we pray, we allow God to guide us and support us.

This might easily be the answer to all our worries, pray, pray. .Keep praying.

Keep Safe...

With the Corvid 19 ( coronavirus) lurking around like a bad smell, we are cautioned to be careful and keep safe.  Good advise. Can we do so?

Perhaps the best advise is found in the Gospel, to love our neighbours as ourselves.  This way we will be careful and do all that is necessary to eliminate the awful evil that causes people to be afraid, almost afraid of living.

The greatest weapon against evil is Love.

When we act from love and keep God always in the picture, then all will be well.

There may and will be a certain amount of suffering, just from having to keep safe ( grandparents cannot visit their grandchildren and vice versa ) and those who become unwell, may even die.

This is the greatest Truth of all, that we will die someday and yet, hopefully not now.  Let, keep safe and love one another and be guided by Love.

POETRY

Writing poetry is akin to taking a leap on Faith
A sheet of paper, blank yet itching to be used
Perhaps even abused, yet willing none the less.

Poetic verse runs through our mind
We try with earnest efforts to comply
Transfer poetic gems onto the page.

Frustrated, yet not willing to give in
We try and try to dig deep, deep within
Discover the poet, hiding from the world.

Perhaps, it isn't true that we can brew
A poem that dares to face the light
Yet, this we know, we can always, always write.


veracait@gmail.com

Contemplative Spirit

To have a contemplative spirit depends on our ability to live in each present moment; to leave the past behind and avoid jumping into the future with thoughts either good or bad.

Memories of time past can be a positive affirmation in the present moment, yet it can also be dangerous because we might become attached to experiences we have had and forget to enjoy the beauty of the present moment.

The same can happen when we allow our minds to wander ahead into the  'what if'  syndrome and our imagination takes flight!

Living in the 'NOW' is the basis for contemplation where we are grounded in what life is truly all about.

A contemplative spirit is one who is able to be silent and open to divine inspiration.  We allow ourselves to be in the presence of God without feeling any desire to do or say anything.

Contemplation is a God-Conscious state and very rewarding to whoever is willing to give time and awareness to the Presence of God. 

CREATIVE WRITING

Creative Writing is an Art form, a way of expressing ourselves with Words.
For some, how they dress will express who they are.
For a writer it's words that help to outline the character of the writer.
The 'inner-self' is being revealed, even to oneself.
That's why it's important to learn to write from our heart and be original.
It's easy really and yet also challenging because as we write we also learn about ourselves and exactly who we are.
Self knowledge is vital if we want to be a good, perhaps a great writer.
Don't hold back, let the ideas flow onto the page and reveal who we are.
There is therapy in writing, also fun and wonderful reward for the time we give to our craft!

Creative Writing Session

Dear friends, the points put on whatsApp are now outlined:
1.  Flash fiction 250 words.
2.  Supermarket War Zone  (fact or fiction)
3.  Great moments in my life  (memoir)
4.  Poetry  'The Unexpected'
I had hoped to make this a visual / virtual conversational way of sharing our interest in Creative Writing.  I guess my computer skills have yet to learn how to do this.  No worries.  Most important aspect of creative writing is to write.
We all need inspiration at times and yet, often we just need to give time to write.

The first point,  Flash Fiction is a good exercise to help us to make use of being concise and expressing ourselves creatively with short sentences and few words.  (250 words)  can be fun especially when we are challenged to cut back and write less, yet still keep the 'gem' of our creative piece.

No. 2 is more of a challenge, especially when the media are informing us about the Supermarkets and how panic can set in if they can't get what they want.
(police supervision in Lidl etc.)
Let's make this our own and distract ourselves from a crazy situation into a good creative expression of our ability to write.
(Francis MacManus competition is looking for Story for Radio of 1,850 words)

No 3.Memoir:  Great Moments in my Life!
How lovely to dwell on these great moments we all have and share them)
( Ireland's Own are always open to receiving memoirs)

No 4. POETRY!    'The Unexpected'   a heading to get us started.
Lately, I've been told that young children are fond of poetry,  Perhaps they can experience a certain melody in words.
    (Lots to share for our next get-together on 18th April )

Be Safe...

At present there is a scare about the corona virus and all are recommended to take care and be safe...

Being safe depends on how informed we are and the good habits we have in relation to hygiene.

Being educated as regards a healthy body is good / being educated as regards a healthy soul is of even more importance.

God inspires us as regards our soul, body and mind.

Perhaps the biggest danger is caused by fear and stress and this can be easily resolved by have a little faith and trusting in God's love for us.

We are not meant to be obedient robots, yet we can and are required to be open-minded and especially open to divine inspiration.  If we do so, all will be well.

A happy and practical mind will guide us towards being safe and happy too.

Happy, not Sad...

I suppose most people, just like myself, want to be happy and fulfilled and definitely not sad.

Is this a choice on our part, or is there something 'special' needed to guide us towards happiness and away from sadness?

I believe that being happy is a work in progress and depends on all the little and big challenges that come our way each day.

Waking up, first thing in the morning, could be the beginning of our choosing happiness, depending on our awareness of ourselves and a deliberate determination to face life with a 'smile'!

At this point, feelings don't count. Better to discard them altogether and decide to make a positive choice as a happy person.

Don't worry if this appears false at times. What is taking place is programming.

We regard ourselves and especially our feelings as faulty and so set about putting in a correct program.  

This decision is of the upmost importance.

Choose happiness / choose a positive life and the result will blow our minds!

So simple.  Choose to be happy and so we will be!

TRUST

Whenever I become worried about anything I begin to realize that my trust in God is faulty.

I believe in God's goodness and care for all of us and yet when it comes to trusting Him, especially when I might be concerned about my health or spiritual progress, I find my 'trusting' ability is not uppermost.  Why, I wonder?

Perhaps, it's to do with being very human and faulty and yet, mostly to do with depending on our own abilities, believing that we can solve our problems.

No wonder Our Lord spoke about being like a child...

' Let the children come to Me..'

Well, now I have another avenue of choice, to become childlike and learn to trust in God's love for all of us.

How to do this?

Simply trust and practice acts of trust, reminding ourselves of just how near God is to us and speaking to our hearts in relation to all that we are and all that we do.

Trust!

ASH Wednesday 2020

How quickly time moves on, already beginning of Lent and hardly time to focus on what is best for me to do.

I realize these forty days are precious and time for me to choose...

Fr. Donal at Mass this morning put forward the idea of a spiritual growth, of giving time to renewing and increasing our relationship with God.

This will be my first desire and intend to work at it too.  Just as with people, relationships need time and interest to develop. It's the same with God.

The Saints call it, becoming God's friends.

My next choice is to work each day on my Book, which I like to do and yet, will not happen unless I give time to it.

Pen to Paper and plenty of Prayers!

(Official opening of De La Salle Centre)

Keep our Dreams alive!

Dreams come and go and sometimes, we let them go too easily.
Someone once said... 'Poets and dreamers shake and shape the world.'
Perhaps this can help us to value our dreams and aspirations.
Those of a spiritual mind believe that we are inspired by God, much more than we might realize, yet do we listen..?
This could well be the key to propel us forward and respond to that inner voice, prompting us to become more than we are.
If one is a writer, then learn to listen and with pen and paper, write!
The same will apply to a musician and anyone who believes and is willing to respond to a creative mind.
'Don't give up your dreams, just yet.
Let them smolder, like an ebbing fire.
Fan the flames and become alive!'

LOVE versus FEAR!

Christ says ...  Fear not.  I am with you always.

Such a wonderful reassurance to know this, that we need not fear and perhaps what helps a lot is to know that we are empowered by God with the ability to love.

Whenever we are in a loving state then fear has no hold on us.

The choice is always with us, so putting it in a very simple way, we either choose to love or we allow fear to frighten and distract us from living a wonderful, loving life.

Feeling afraid is such a natural emotion, yet that's all it is.

Always, put love first.

HOPE

To have HOPE is to have LIFE!

Hope allows us to cherish and enjoy life.

When we are with friends or family and nothing special seems to be happening, perhaps it's then that the most important things in life are taking place.

We find ourselves in an atmosphere of caring and loving and happy to be just where we are.

This is where we can discover the power of 'little' moments, where love is free to develop and our hearts expand with genuine love for life and for each other.

Always hope that life will present us with these special opportunities to grow in love and embrace what is happening in each present moment.

New Year's Day 2020

A New Year begins today and so many resolutions will be made and hopefully fulfilled in the coming weeks and months to come.

I find for myself the best way to deal with new resolutions is to keep the list short.  Pick out major points that would make a good impact on my life now.

Very important too to create new avenues of ways to practice these good intentions.  Like any job that needs to be done well, preparation is tops!

So, where do I begin?

What 'passion' is driving me at this precise time?

Am I willing to pay a price, especially time-wise,  to achieve my aim?

Well, simplicity is good.

A prayerful beginning will set the tone and diligence in picking the right time, each day and then allow for a day off to relieve the buildup of pressure.

For  me, being regular about what I aim to do,  putting pen to paper and allowing time for creative writing.  Will it be morning or afternoon or evening?

Am I a morning person ( I am) then a quality time set aside for writing will work.

The encouragement that comes from doing this is wonderful.

Now, my enthusiasm is set in motion and my belief system is primed...

I am writer.  I commit to writing and I will enjoy the fruits of my labour!