The end of 2020

And so we reach the end of 2020. A challenging year on so many levels. Usually we try and get a beach walk in on the 31st December or the 1st of January. But knowing we were heading back into a new covid 19 level five lockdown today (our highest level lockdown here in Ireland), which includes a 5km travel restriction – we made the most of yesterday and went to Ross Beach.

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  Ross Beach, Co Mayo

A visit to the beach, no matter what time of year, brings cheer. The tide was out and the low winter light perfect.

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I want to thank all those who have stopped by over the last year, particularly those that have taken time to comment. I know I haven’t been as good as other years in reading and commenting and I will try to do more in 2021. I do value this wordpress community, the support, inspiration and kindness you all offer.

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I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope 2021 brings you some magic.

Gratitude

Gratitude that we managed to grow two, decent sized pumpkins this year, so that the children had one each to carve! And thankful that my son was generous enough to allow his younger sister to hog the large of the two!

Year End

In the final hours of 2016 it seems appropriate to look back and forward. On a personal level it has not been an easy year and I know that the same is true for many. For me there have been challenges I would have rather never faced, but there was no choice. It was sink or swim,  so we’re doing our best to swim. The words of Dory in the film Nemo come to mind – “just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

I know 2017 will bring more challenges. Some I already know, so I can be prepared, but there are the hidden ones that take us by surprise, that can knock us off balance. I just hope that I will find the grace and strength to meet all these challenges head on.

From a blogging perspective, I have enjoyed the experience of writing, commenting and engaging with the WordPress community. Thank you to all of you who take time to read and comment. It astonishes me that someone halfway across the world would be interested in reading what I have to say. It is humbling. In a world where it seems that we are becoming increasingly divided it is an important lesson. It shows me that we have more in common with each other than we think. Perhaps in 2017, we can spend a little more time finding similarities with each other, and in so doing learn to respect each other and the differences that will inevitability be there too.

There is no magic wand. But there is humanity and each of us in our small way can do a little to change things. It may be as simple as sharing a smile with a stranger. Little steps. Often we are not even aware of the suffering of those around us. But by sharing a smile perhaps we can bring a little light, a little bit of hope into that person’s day.

So here’s too a brighter and more hopeful 2017.