I heard this week that the centuries old Moulin Rouge windmill in Paris has lost its sails. For no explicable reason. When I read that, I couldn’t help but relate. But for some reason that cheesy song, You’re flying without wings by Take That (edit: oops, Westlife) came to mind. Scrabbling away from dangerous self-pity I thought, now there’s my challenge. So what if you’ve lost your sails or your wings, you just have to find a different way to fly.

One of the most crucial ways to help you take off is to help someone else. An outstretched hand or a shared smile can give the person going past the lift they need. Every time I cycle past someone in the park I see that happening.

Another way to fly is to let yourself be loved or helped. Every day my family show that uplifting love to me. Every time I ask for help, I see friends running to give me a hand. It is humbling but we should never feel humiliated. You don’t know how much kindness bounces back to people who give it.

If you feel stuck in a situation, look round and you might see there is somebody or something that can help. Is there someone you know who needs to be picked up? Is there anything you can do? Even sitting with them can help. Praying with them can add wings to your concern too.

Another gift is nature. I can’t run but I love watching my dog tear along the beach. I can’t paddle but my heart lifts when I watch waves crashing against the sand. I laughed a lot today, just watching crows bouncing onto the smoke coming out of a chimney to clean themselves. Once they’d nearly burnt themselves they flew off.

There are many ways to fly, even if you are weighed down by your own troubles. Writing these posts every week is one of mine. So, thank-you! ❤️