Photo today is from the archive and was taken at Tooreenbawn, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

We are not going to get any snow in Ireland anytime soon. I have dipped into the archive to pull this lovely photo out of a robin taking some time out in the snow

My latest video is called ‘A Prayer of Hope to Saint Brigid’ whose feast day is next Tuesday February 1st
https://youtu.be/IEzvYUnYPe8
(Just copy and paste in your browser) Thank you

Thought on Saturday – January – 29/01/2022

Thought For The Week (Updated each Monday morning)

‘There is nothing so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.’ ~ Saint Francis de Sales

There is great strength when we support each other. On our own we can sometimes struggle and be isolated. But once we allow others to support us, especially with love and kindness, we become incredibly strong. We find great strength when we support each other during difficult and challenging times. This has been the glue that held us all together during the past two years of Covid. We all can now look forward to so much freedom with the lifting of restrictions. (at least in Ireland anyway)

I like to explain this idea with a bundle of sticks especially to young people. If you take one stick it is very easy to break it. But when you put a few of them together and try and break them it is next to impossible. They become super strong and again remind us that there is great strength when we support each other.

So how do we support each other? You can do so by extending love and kindness to someone who needs it. You can pray for them. You can encourage them. You can tell them quite simply that you don’t have all the answers but that you are willing to walk with them during their difficult and challenging time.

This is all that really matters. You are giving someone else strength by simply being there for them. And you also have a choice. Do you remain just like the one stick? Or can you allow others to walk with you and beside you? One stick has now become a few. Again, great strength begins to happen when we support each other.

Next time you are out for a walk in the woods and you come across a few broken sticks under a tree. Pick them up. See how easy it is to break one. Put a few of them together and try and break them. It becomes nearly impossible.

Spiritually, we all need help too. We can’t do it on our own. As we journey through life we need the help of family and friends. A prayer moment might be: Loving God, thank you for being my helping hand and my support when I need it. Amen