Photo was taken at Tooreenbawn, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

A photo from the archive of young swallows waiting to get fed. The swallows are a beautiful sight during our summer months.

Thought on Friday – August – 08/07/2022

“Do you ever notice that there are ‘happy people’ peppered throughout the world whom, I have no doubt, are put here for the purpose of lifting spirits as they go about their daily lives? They could be the tea lady in the office, the rural postman on his daily rounds or indeed a DJ on the radio. I like to think I have been blessed by them.” ~Francis Brennan

We know well that not everyone is happy as we start this month of July and we know some who find it hard to put a smile on their face for many different reasons. We heard over the past few days that inflation is now at 9.6% across Ireland and many families have to deal with a dramatic increase in the cost of everything. If the pinch is being felt now, it will be a sharp bite when autumn returns. Let’s be honest our weather has also been very poor and not great for holiday makers. The Covid story just won’t go away either. It is important that we balance some of this bad news with some good news as well.

Thankfully we are blessed to know many people who touch our lives by their smile, their bubbly character, their sense of fun and energy and their positive upbeat approach to life. These people often don’t realise what they bring to our lives and our world. But what they do bring is special and our lives would be all the darker without what they bring to us. They are in ways an outreach of God’s care and love in our world. In a world where negativity so often dominates, we must all make a determined effort to bring some balance back in.

Are you one of these people? If you are thank you and keep doing what you do naturally. Do you know someone in your life who brings you a smile, keeps you going, gives you a lift when you need it and is someone who makes the world of a difference in your life? If you do count your blessings and if appropriate thank them and tell them so. We say a prayer for them too and ask God to bless the people in our lives who make today special. May they be blessed in their own lives and in everything they do. This week could also be an opportunity for you to be a blessing to someone else as well. It can be done quietly and without fuss. But your smile, your word of encouragement, your word of thanks, your call or text or you reaching out to help will be a beautiful blessing to someone else too.