Photo was taken at Seskin, Bantry, West Cork (Irl)



These butterflies were busy working the sedum flower during the week

Thought on Thursday – September – 09/09/2021



‘Once the chess game is over, the king and pawn go back into the same box.’ ~Italian Proverb

I first want to begin by congratulating all who got their Leaving Cert results last Friday. Hopefully everyone is reasonably happy with their results. It’s been a long road, lots of anxious moments and finally new beginnings for so many. As we all know it’s the students with the highest grades who always make the headlines. The few who get the perfect jackpot results will make for the stories on news feeds and in the papers.

The many who put in super efforts, who worked tirelessly and who never gave up despite all the obstacles, will seldom make the headlines. We especially congratulate these students too who also have done so well. There are other students for whom the results will have gone well but will be squeezed out of their chosen course because of competition and increased points. These students are also in our thoughts and prayers. There is always something for everyone and there is lots of advice available for students who are unsure what the next step to take might be.

From a spiritual point of view there is a message here as well. Spiritually there are no divisions in terms of who gets what. It’s hard for us to understand that in God’s eyes we are all equal and the same, with no exception. We may be different in terms of gifts, talents, personality, fingerprint, DNA and so on but to put it simply God has no favourites. We are all loved equally and in a way that is beyond words. We are truly special, priceless and loved.



It is we who make the distinctions in life. It is we who categorise people and we put them where we want them to be. It is we who create divisions and barriers. Some get left behind. Yet every person has a right to be recognised as an equal, to feel important and loved and to feel that they have an important contribution to make in life. In the game of chess am I a king, queen or a pawn? Am I inclusive of others? Do I cherish the contribution of others, particularly someone who may have low self esteem or someone who feels left behind in life? You are loved and special. Nothing is ever going to change this.