From Beginning to End

Greetings. Here’s a fresh post, for a new year. I’ve chosen one photo from each month of 2019. The atmospheric featured image, like the forest, was taken in January. October’s pic captures an upside down rainbow – a common phenomenon of late. December’s mysterious pic is of the moon, shining through the leaves of a close-by palm tree.

With that, I shall leave you in peace. May your life be blessed.

When winter beleaguers my troublesome bones, too often exhaustion will outweigh my pen.

“I closed my mouth and spoke to you in a hundred silent ways.”

― Rumi

 

Photography ©Francis Moloney.

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Be Prepared

 

Here we are with part two, gazing once again at sleek and shiny machines. Mercedes Benz World is located in Surrey, England. Here you can learn how cars work, take advanced driving courses, or just have a go in a fast car. You can even step inside a grounded Concorde and look around.

Because I am housebound, Amanda holds the keys to the family car. That’s her in the red jacket. I haven’t been able to drive since I became disabled, and I miss it a lot. During the work and school runs, every red light was an opportunity for a silent prayer. Every long traffic jam, a chance to catch up on some reading. Phone calls were private, and I always got to choose the music that best suited my mood – bonus.

When I was a boy scout, a very long time ago, I was told a story about a boy who took the trouble to ask himself how he might respond if he should witness an accident. It happened that one day, when he was riding in a bus, it crashed, and although he wasn’t hurt, many elderly passengers were. It was he who ran immediately to the nearest telephone, and called 999. He then administered first aid to the injured passengers – using shirts for bandages, and neckties for slings, etc. He worked until the emergency services arrived. Tributes aside, I feel that this boy’s greatest reward was in the satisfaction of knowing that he had successfully marshalled an effective, and well prepared response to the emergency.

In my job, I worked with injured and disabled people every day. I met many good folk whose active lives had come to an abrupt end. And, as I mentioned some time back, I grew up with a severely disabled brother, (who is coming to see me later today to celebrate my 66th). Therefore, and not that I don’t complain aplenty, I do endeavour to face my own trials perhaps more stoically than I otherwise might have.

Ok, I hope you enjoyed our two parter, and that you are also enjoying things in general. The world may be a sad place today, but nothing lasts forever. ‘For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave’ – and universal balance will return. We know this because circumstances have called us to stand firmly in the light of humanity’s highest values. The darker the shadow, the brighter the light. Those who know that heaven is real, can love their way across the battlefield, and then we, as one family together will light up the skies of dawn.

I think I’ve written enough for now. Thank you to all who read, follow, and comment. I hope to return soon. Until then, peace from Amras.

Do not place treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moths and corrosion disfigure and where thieves break in and steal. But place treasures for yourselves in Heaven, where neither moths nor corrosion disfigure and where thieves neither break in nor steal. For where your treasure is, there is your heart also.

Matthew 6 – 19

 

Photography ©Amanda Moloney.

Down to Earth

Greetings. I hope you are keeping well. The above pics, taken somewhere deep in the hills of England, were sent by our regular contributor, Chris. He took them a few days ago, during one of his hikes. Please enjoy.

Thirty years ago to this night, (28th October), while coming home very late from the hospital where I worked, I was set upon, and overpowered by thugs. They broke my skull, cheekbone, and several teeth. A shard of skull pierced my eye, and my brain was exposed. Shortly after, I was back in hospital, only this time lying in intensive care. I was acutely aware when I was Cheyne-Stoking, and knew that my life was ebbing away. I knew when my heart stopped. I heard the cardiac monitor, and the anxious voices of my medical team, all fading fast into the distance. 

Next, I was somewhere very different. I was completely free from pain, and found myself enjoying a rather elevated sense of mental awareness. In this calm space, I held a conversation with a wise soul, who told me that I had the choice to go on ahead at his side, or return to earth, if I was willing to face severe pain, and several other challenges that would ensue.

In that moment, there was no question in my mind that the happiness of my earthly family mattered more to me than any difficulties I might have to face. I elected without hesitation, and with my deepest gratitude, to return to mission earth. Heaven, after all, is eternal, while the life of the body is, by comparison, but the blink of a blackbirds eye.

I required three operations. It took nearly a year to put me back together. I was informed that my eye would have been lost if I hadn’t had the extreme good fortune of having one of this country’s top eye surgeons.

And here I am, thirty years later to the day, telling you all about it. I hope you don’t mind. If I learned anything that night, it was knowing what really matters the most in life. And, I just so want all to know there is nothing to fear when your conscience is clear.

With thanks to all who stop by.  I really hope you enjoy these posts. Though I find it quite a task at times to keep up with everyone, know that I’m still here at my keyboard, pacing myself as the day allows. Perhaps the coming new year will bring more energy my way.

Until next time, peace from Amras.

“If you live decent, what do you need with lucky charms?”

Nora Batty.

Photography ©C.H.

The Amazing Secret

I hope our readers are well today. These pics were taken in June, by our regular guest contributor, Chris. He took them on his home stomping ground, somewhere in the mystical hills of Staffordshire. In ancient days a stone circle stood here; but in later times, sadly, it was destroyed by vandals.

The following text is from an inspiring Tibetan meditation. I completely forget where I found it, but I hope very much that you enjoy reading it. The complete text is to be found on our 2012 post “A Lofty Alcazar”. *

“Can you see the words on this page? Then 100% of Spirit is present, looking out through your eyes. Can you feel the book in your hands? Then 100% of Spirit is present, taking the world in its hands. Can you hear the sound of that bird singing? Then 100% of Spirit is present, listening to that song. 

You cannot look for this Spirit, for it is doing the looking. You cannot see this Spirit, for it is doing the seeing. You cannot find this Spirit, for it does all the finding. If you understand this, then Spirit is doing the understanding; if you don’t understand this, Spirit is doing that. Understand it or not, just that is Spirit. 

Hence the amazing, secret, ultimate truth that slowly starts to dawn: the enlightened mind-pure Spirit itself-is not hard to attain but impossible to avoid. How could you ever be without that Spirit which is reading this sentence right now?” ~ Tibetan.

Until next time, and beyond – I hope you live in peace.

I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew:

Of wind I sang, a wind there came and in the branches blew.

JR Tolkien.

* https://amras888.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/a-lofty-alcazar/

Photography ©C.H.

Hope Returns

Greetings. During May, when these pics were taken, there was a daily die-off of the bees that grace our garden. Little bodies of every variety lay everywhere. Throughout June I didn’t count a single bee. The extreme cold, and wet of June gave way to a dull, but warmer July. We have never, by the way, used weed killers, pesticides, or any suchlike chemicals on our garden. Today, at last, I saw one living bee hovering amongst our wild roses. Hope returns; there is still time for our bees. 

This post, as promised is the last of three. Next time, we will leave May for June, and fly together to a remote location somewhere in the mystical green hills of England.

Before I go, thank you to all who stop by – and if you are willing to read a little bit more, I would like to offer you these words, taken from an Irish blessing: “May you always remember when the shadows fall – you do not walk alone.”

The sun, the moon, the stars, the seas, the hills and the plains,- 

Are not these, O Soul, the Vision of Him who reigns? 

Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Photography ©Francis Moloney.