Note to self: when the days get shorter, when the children have gone off to school and you’re left alone to find a different purpose, when winter brings unwelcome, much dreaded spells of bad health, or when unexpected troubles come, don’t forget that you had a bright summer.  That you felt warmth.  The kids were often trying, but many, many times you were reminded how much you loved them.  The sun shone more than it rained when you were on holiday, and by the end, you could climb a steep hill without a trekking pole.  You looked out across the bay, and saw a pod of dolplns leaping out of the water beside a rainbow.  That was heaven dancing right before your eyes. 

Do not forget these things; carry them with you, but don’t hanker after them as though brightness has gone for good.  Look for it just as you looked for the dolpins that evening, and don’t be surprised if you see a rainbow too.

Shadows fall…But there’s light to their left and to their right* 

*Shadows Fall, The Proclaimers