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

A young thrush keeps a close eye on everything

Thought on Monday – November – 25/11/2019

‘As children we had a sense of wonder. Our eyes were wide open and drinking in the fascinating gifts we beheld. Our thirsty souls could not have enough of the wonders of creation. Then somehow we got too old to dream. We let wonder go to sleep.’ ~Alfred McBride

It is well known that as we get older we get wiser, more street wise, cuter and better able to adapt to the complexities of life. If you pick up a stone from any part of a sea shore, it is always smooth and round. It has no sharp edges. The constant motion of water, waves and other stones have smoothened out all the sharp edges over time.

The same goes with us too. Life smoothens out all our rough edges over time. But it also comes with a price too. We tend to lose our sense of wonder, our excitement for life and our unique dream of something special we’d like to happen. Our Gospel stories are many and varied. They touch on nearly every experience of life. We are encouraged and invited to have a sense of wonder, to have energy for life and to keep dreaming and hoping for everything that is good.

Having a sense of wonder does not make us weird or different. The fast moving world we live in today, inhibits having a sense of wonder. There isn’t time to pause, to unwind and to reflect on the blessings of life. There isn’t time to get out more into nature and appreciate the beauty of our natural world. Mobile phones, social media and watching endless television is alien to having a sense of wonder.

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States and also in other parts of the world. It is also a day for us to give thanks for our blessings, to be open to a sense of wonder and especially the wonder of today. Today is not perfect, today may be a struggle but today is also full of promise, potential and opportunity.

This is at the heart of Christianity and finding the balance in making the most of today is a lifelong challenge. Having a belief in something or someone is always a great help. Having a belief in something spiritual is also great in finding balance in life. Few find it fully, some never find it and so many can find it by realizing it is always just within our reach. All we have to do is just reach out.