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

An Alpaca keeps a watchful eye as I went closer for a photo!

Thought on Thursday – February – 05/02/2015

Thought For The Week

‘Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.’ ~Desmond Tutu

Last Sunday (Feb 1st) was the feast of St Brigid. In the Irish spiritual calendar it is a hugely significant day. Going back a few generations it was a day that was widely celebrated. The generations before us were much more in touch with the seasons and the cycles of nature. There is one more hour of daylight today compared to what we had at Christmas. Already nature feels this extra surge in light and is responding. Already daffodil shoots are pushing through and in some gardens snowdrops stand proudly, making their bold statement that the grip of winter is nearly over.

There are many stories told about Brigid and some of them greatly exaggerated. But at the heart of all the stories is a woman of hope, of great courage and conviction. She is probably most famous for her cross which she wove together using rushes. The many strands that make up a St Brigid’s cross represent the different strands of our own lives. They pick up on our joys and blessings but also on our struggles, problems and difficulties. For Brigid the cross was not an end in itself but pointed to a firm and sure hope in a loving God. For Brigid this loving God helps us to make sense of everything that’s going on in our lives. Significantly St Brigid’s day is a day for renewed hope and most certainly a day to celebrate.