Photo was taken at Tooreenbawn, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

Around this time of year I am always looking for a sunset to mark midsummer’s day. I have been on the lookout with over a week and the only break came on Monday night at 10pm with this picture.

Thought on Thursday – July – 21/06/2012

‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.’ ~Martin Luther King Jr

Today (June 21st) is midsummer’s day in the Northern Hemisphere. Across Ireland it feels as if we are marking the winter solstice with all the constant rain and so little sunshine. As it is midsummer’s day darkness will be limited to just a few hours tonight. We are sometimes afraid and fear the dark. This is not something new. It stretches back thousands of years. It is true that God loves light but it’s also true that God embraces darkness as well. In the book of Exodus we are told that the people stood at a distance while Moses drew near to the darkness where God was. Life is a mixture of light and darkness for all of us. We flourish and thrive when we are in the light and we often struggle in the dark. But from God’s point of view, God is with us in light but also in darkness too. So no matter how dark, sad, dreary or depressing our lives may be at times, our heartfelt belief is that somehow God is present in there as well.