Photo was taken near Mallow, Co.Cork (Irl)

A field of barley is nearly ripe and another week of sunshine should see it ready for harvest.

Thought on Saturday – July – 17/07/2010

You are very fragile. All of us are. Life itself is fragile. We have to be careful and even wise if we are to reach adulthood and middle age and old age. There are no guarantees, but care and caution are mighty helps in the effort at holding on to life. I don’t want to patronise you. When I was your age, I too felt indestructible. But none of us is. That’s a plain fact of life. So please, please, please live life on its terms, within its rules and boundaries, otherwise life will be cruel and merciless towards you and towards the family and friends who will have to bear you to the grave.’ ~Words spoken by Fr.John Walsh this week at the funeral Mass of Eamonn McDaid, one of the eight people who died in the tragic car crash in Donegal

These were wise words of wisdom during the week, not just for the many young people to whom it was addressed, but to all of us as well. Sometimes in the midst of a tragedy, it is easy to play safe but this was a gentle but honest and thoughtful challenge to all of us. We need to respect life on its terms, within its rules and boundaries and particularly when we are driving on the roads. Every single one of us has a part to play, so that we never see the horror and waste of lives as we had this week in Donegal. Next week and even in a few days time the spotlight will move from Donegal to some other story. But there are eight families and many more around the country trying to cope with the loss of a loved one through a road accident. They will always remain very much in our prayers.