To All The Souls

Greetings readers. When I was a boy, playing with my friends in fields full of wild flowers, we knew why their petalled faces would follow the sun. In my imagination back then, flowers were like souls in heaven… always standing in perfect beauty, and bathed forever in glorious light.

This field of sunflowers from last August evokes those memories – and I feel that All Souls Day is the best day to share it. With loving wishes and gratitude to those who have gone before us, may we follow them with grace, knowing one day we will be reunited.

Until next time…

Photography ©Amanda Moloney.

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Far Flung

Greetings, from far flung corners of the garden. These pics were taken an afternoon or two ago, just before the rain. 

I hope all readers are having a good day, and I plan to return soon, with more of the same – only different. 

Thoughts are things, and some have wings, while others bind with chains. Let them guide, or let them slide – just choose, and don’t complain.

Photography by Francis Moloney.

To the Glory

Just a tribute to the glory of May. The month dedicated to the mother of Jesus. When the cloak of blue adorns the corners of the wooded wilds, and fondly lays a royal carpet at the foot of every standing tree.

The month is almost over, and the bluebells will fade from view; but their beauty is eternal, and there is a blessing in the knowing that they will return again next year. And hopefully, I will return again next month. Until then, remember every day to shut out the raging cacophony as often you can. Truly there is peace to be found in silence.

Do you see yourself, abiding within yourself, in pure solitude? Does nothing now remain to shatter that interior unity, nor anything cling to your authentic self? Are you entirely that sole true light which is not contained by space, not confined to any circumscribed form, not diffused as something without term, but ever immeasurable as something greater than all measure and something more than all quantity?

Plotinus.

 

Photography ©Amanda Moloney.

Embattled Souls

I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying
“I love you”

I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more
Than I’ll never know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world

Oh yeah

The words of Louis Armstrong mean more than ever now. May our prayerful attitude be the key that opens those locked hearts roaming our world.

Stay well, and be brave, dear readers. Life is eternal – you know this. Remember the sheer vibrancy of life when you were very small. The immediacy of colours and textures. The power of sound and music. The smells of the kitchen, and the taste of ice cream. Well that same living vibrancy is still here for us, though beyond the deterioration of our senses. Isn’t that an encouraging thought?

So too does the intensity of the love that we knew as infants, before our earthly struggles made dim our embattled souls, still shine like the sun of all stars. All is well in the streets of paradise. When we commit every single day to working from our hearts wisdom; purely and compassionately, then we are already there. We never left.

More pics to come.

 

May my thoughts be ever pure,

From true love my actions spring,

May my ways be strong and sure,

And my heart life’s praises sing.

 

 

Photography ©Amanda Moloney.

On The Surface

I hope all readers are growing in strength of spirit, and remembering that for sudden, the worst turns the best to the brave. When we know one or more who grieve, our duty is to give them what comfort we may. It is fitting to rejoice too, if grace allows, for the sake of those who have departed in righteousness. However, and despite how difficult this might be, I feel that perhaps we should also take a moment to pray earnestly for those about to depart in unrepentant wickedness. 

When my immune system was compromised, in 2004, I was forced then to adopt a form of ‘social distancing,’ as a way of life – which I’ve practised ever since. It has kept me incarnate. I used my scarf for a face mask throughout this time, and it’s worked very well.  Habitual cleanliness should go without saying. I dare say I will continue to live thus when the world has recovered. Although we are born without any choice but eventually to depart, what happens next belongs to the balance of the choices we are making here and now. If we gaze for too long at the the dancing reflections on the surface of things only, then fear will creep triumphantly in. Where there’s faith, there’s no fear. Faith and fear refuse to exist side by side. Faith fosters courage. Courage reminds us that our duty is to each other – and lends us the strength to do right. Even when we are stuck indoors all day long. 

And now, it’s time to change gear, by introducing a little levity…

“Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps ‘I think my friend is dead! What can I do?’ The operator says: ‘Calm down, I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.’ There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says ‘OK, now what?'”

I want to thank all readers and followers. I do appreciate your dropping by – and if I’m slow getting back to you, please bear with me. Finally, before I forget, the above pics were taken in March 2007. Be well everyone. 

Now we know that for those who love God all things are working together for good…

Romans 8:28

Photography ©Francis Moloney.