On The Day

Cameras sometimes have a life of their own. Most of the time when I have "Dud", I delete and move on. But more often it seems they have a "Light" all of their own that links in with the pictures in my life. This was taken in a busy venue.... Well I never knew that a "Lace of Light" was swirling above my head! Just a thought!

  Gandhi said once very wisely that we were all looking back, looking forward wishing or waiting. worrying or wanting, planning or pleasing. That we forgot to live in the present.   Sounds very wise and all knowing. We cannot plan or know our future. We have all had the situation where we wait for a letter with important news. The decision has already been made by others. It holds the plan for our future, rather the basis on which we have a choice to run with their decision or not. When it is a job interview, we have already decided that we want the job... didn't we? Well we went for the interview. We would not have gone for the job otherwise! The result is in the post. We must wait and see what's the plan... what is the outcome... what's next.   Life is funny sometimes. What we want changes so quickly and so often. Maybe Gandhi had it right and we all should just know that what matters is what happens in a day    

I came home this morning after night duty. I was really ready to flop into my nice cozy bed, contemplating a hot water bottle in August! But then again this August anything goes. My Dog Flakes and my Cat Mr Jones came tearing out to do the usual meet and greet. Flakes, of course doing several bounds to and from the bedroom, to the kitchen and in and out of any open door, while being chased  by the cat . Not very relaxing , but what a welcome home ! I got myself sorted and met my springer's eyes after I had pulled back the quilt. The Sandman had indeed called and the evidence was sprinkled on the sheets. I got the usual sidelong glance from him, The one that always makes him not only beyond reproach, but one that makes him appear like he has been here before and has it all sussed out! He watched me out of the corner of his eyes as I cleaned his sandy beach deposits from my side of the bed.  I could only imagine him thinking, that now I will have some nice dreams too, cou...

If you want it enough, a sport can be a great passion, an obsession; a true dream .It can be rewarding, exhilarating and the source of excitement and joy. Yet it can be painful, disappointing and the source of frustration.       When it is not there, when it is out of season, it leaves a void. One you can try and fill with another buzz, another sport, anything. But deep down you wait for the next season. If you have sense, you will even prepare for the next season.   Team sports are even more difficult, in that it is not just about you. Indeed it is never about you, just how good you make yourself in order to benefit a team’s performance. If your team does well, that is, wins, then you are beyond happy. If you lose then it is disappointment.   The depth of emotion depends on how much you put into your sport. The more you train, the more you can attain they say. But then there is the luck factor, as Lady Luck can deal funny blows at times...

Ok.. fair enough, many of us were children when we first got hooked. We grew up with.. and because of, The Dog! Our Friend, Buddy, Pal. Inevitably when we reach that point in time when we are seen to be all grown up,"Reared" The Dog dies...Megga Bummer to say the least. We move on and the family gets another dog. The cycle of adoration and loyalty starts again . Then we forget the pain of that first loss. We get a dog , a cat ... a budgie?? We get hooked. Why? I think it is because they are so loyal to the true meaning of friendship and family. That is : Love me and I will love you. Don't and I will love you anyway. Look out for me and I will look out for you. But my role is unconditional. It does not matter what we do. These wonderful assets, that we acquire, by some miraculous default are set to be our major allies in this world. The hard part is. that unless it is an elephant, they are much shorter lived than we would really need them to be. That is why a lot of...

 When I lived In Cork, people used to say that Cahirsiveen was a long way off, remote, the end of nowhere and a place to go to get away. This evening I was lookng at the lights of Valentia and the channel markers guiding a boat in.  It dawned on me,  that  opinion and perspective depends really on where you consider your centre to be. This evening Cahirsiveen is no distance at all away from anywhere!

If I was to think of a perfect time, it would have to be this one. I have had many great times in my life,  but the evening when this photo was taken was "Perfect".  Richie took the photo. I am here with David , Ronan and Bran and the infamous "Green Tent"! Times we had there, year after year, with family and friends , hospitality of The Bowlers. I would sit with my coffee on the ditch,  watching as the lads hit the water after cornflakes in a plastic bowl. Swimming classes brought my friends and associations from the past. All and all, the weather didn't matter, though it was special when the sun shone and the high tide timed itself to coincide with the later evening and imminent Sunset.   The Lads would swim until about 9pm. We would hit the showers , which were always warm , spacious and immaculate . Mac would have the bonfire going, have my grub that I had got ready fixed to go and enough smoke to fight the Midgets, who were, apart from the Rain, our ...

  Only yesterday I sat in the sun, having Sunday Lunch.. A treat indeed! I met some friends I had not seen for a while, spent some time with my family, before hitting the road and heading home. Today it is wet , really wet. The Sun is up there somewhere , waiting to shine . So in the meantime I think I will take a break , mess with the computer and maybe watch an old movie until it choses to shine again.                                         

Coming home has meant a lot of things over the years. From finishing a days work to finishing a school run or a weekly shop. Coming home for a weekend to Kerry or for a Holiday. Staying at home, camping in Kells or Mannix Point or Renting a house . At the end of last year I finally came home in the true sense. Seven Months later, I am so glad I took that big step. Bit by bit it is coming together. Small steps after the big step. Now I look out at Lough Cé, Valentia and the lights of Cahirsiveen. This after a nice day of meeting people, being on the water and being with family, I know that what I have now is priceless, luckey and beyond a doubt the definition of being at home

As always there is that feeling of sadness at the end of a good family week. The full houses, the multiple concurrent conversations, the buzz of come and go, busy washing machines , hub bub kitchens, queues for bathrooms,  lots of food and drink, playing and laughing and the many more random moments that enact when families get together. And then it ends. One by one and group they go home and this time I am the one to stay. Sitting in the silence, though it is nice, I cannot wait for their return as I look at photos and remember the nice time we all had.