In the dead of night. This past week or more I have been awake in the wee small hours. If I’ve had sleepless nights before, I’ve either been upset or relieved that the birds are announcing the night is past. But this blackbird? He’s singing at the ungodly hour of half past two! Maybe I’ve…

Lying awake last night, listening to the coughs of family members, the story of Jesus calming the storm came to mind. As I thought about the panic, fear and frustration the disciples must have felt, I saw the same in myself. When things are going badly, sometimes unexpectedly, we have a human tendency to shriek…

I have heard those three words a lot, especially in recent times when my balance is completely off. They have never annoyed me; quite the opposite.

To fear. That line has been running round my head for a couple of days and started yet another reflection. I can’t remember a time when I lay awake with no worry or dread about things that I can’t control. It’s a horrible treadmill of existence if we let it take over.

The what was, and look at what is.

It has been a very colourless time here. Weather-wise I would say for the past week or so but in general, for a lot longer.

Mum was lying on the sofa with the scissor handles dangling off her fingers. Three wrapped presents lay on the carpet like slain soldiers. Another four sat, still in their naked state, not bothered about being covered in very temporary paper and ribbon. It’ll all end up on the floor anyway. But Matthew wouldn’t tell…

than who people say you are. I can still remember words used to describe me that made me stand a little taller. Sadly I can tell you about other labels I wanted to shrug off. We need to be so very careful when we assign a word to others. It can affirm them or stick…

Looking back, I was more like my mum; always cleaning, cooking, moving. Back then, I cleaned the inside of the microwave and the fridge every week. I always mopped after I hoovered. If I saw something out of place, I moved it back. The quilt on the bed was always smooth. You could run your…

There is a character in Dickens’ Bleak House that I can never forget. It’s Jo, the street sweeper. He has no education, no home. He just sweeps the roads every day. Any time he tries to sit down to rest he’s told to ‘move on’.