Ireland in the Sun is close to paradise. This is the first time in years that I have come home to weather that can only be described as divine. It reminds me of the long endless summers of my childhood, when staying indoors was a concept utterly absent from my mind. Summer holidays meant timelessness in the great adventure of exploring the countryside. It was no big thing to walk for miles to visit a favourite secret place, dropping in to see a friend or two on the way. The only rule was to be home before dark.
There were no computers, PlayStations or ‘absolutely must haves’ in order to feel happy or connected. There was no television to suck the sunlight from the desire to simply ‘be’. There were no fancy labels, that I knew of, to capture my self esteem with aspirations to possess a certain look. My mind was unfettered by any need to prove my individuality as a human being. There was such an abundance of living creatures, each with their own sense of self that such ambitions were not part of my reality.
I was fascinated by Nature and the mystery of ‘presence’. There was music and voices to be heard in the great silence of certain places. All I had to do was sit quietly for a while. There were birds and little animals that would come close when they recognised the absence of any threat. There was enchantment, ever changing colours and smells that filled my senses and took me to places beyond all imaginings.
The sunlight and warmth of these last few days coaxed the memories from behind the shadow of a clouded sky, bringing with them details that illuminate, with added dimensions, the present moment.
