2021: new year, new hope

I took the above picture last night as the sun set over the fishing village of Kinvara, with my back to the cold medieval stonework of Dunguaire Castle. The frigid Atlantic wind numbed my face and fingers as I listened to the crash of the fulminating waves. It was a fitting setting to watch the last day of 2020 burn down into darkness.

This morning dawned bright and frosty; a promise of fresh beginnings. It’s easy to wait and pin our desire for positive life change on the calendar flip, but the truth is that each day, hour, and minute offers the opportunity to begin anew.

My wish for 2021 is to be more aware of that possibility every day and to keep returning to the moment, to the incredible beauty available in our natural world, and to enjoy the humour and company of friends and family (even distantly, as is the case at the moment).

I just sent out an issue of my newsletter, Irregular Thoughts, to my subscribers. If you fancy a sporadic email from me, don’t forget to subscribe!

This second photo was taken on the evening of the winter solstice. I lucked out with the weather and with the unknown person who was admiring the sunset. What a view! I take great solace from nature’s magnificent art sensibility. The grey days of winter can be hard, but then you get a stunner like this and your spirits soar.

I hope the good moments even out the difficult ones in 2021!