Monday, April 23, 2007

Happy Places - a shameless act of plagiarism






My good friend the arborist and writer Mr Chambers had an interesting post on his blog today about a happy place - follow the link above to see his and read his thoughts. However I liked the idea of where is your happy place - presumably a beautiful place and what effect does it have it on you.

For me it is the old monastic site of Nendrum ..... A monastery was first built on the site in the fifth century - by St Mochaoi in the 5th century - this rests on a story about St. Patrick written c. AD 900. It is on an island just of the west coast of Strangford Lough ...... you drive across a little causeway to get to it. It is for me one of the most peaceful places on earth and one I visit as often as i can. It does feel sacred the ground somehow still retains the memory of 1000 years of prayer on the site. On a summer evening it is place of rare beauty with great views over the lough from all sides. One new years day we travelled down and the frost was thick on the ground but in the winter sun we were all moved to stillness and contemplation by it. As some good friends recently reminded me on a sunday evening - this is a place where it is good to

Be Still and Know that I am God
Be Still and Know
Be Still
Be

Sometimes when doubt - that shadow cast by faith threatens to blot out the light I go there and BE and it sees me through the night.

blessings

3 comments:

The Harbour of Ourselves said...

Dear father - that crack pot Mr Einstein once said that, 'The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.'

Your thin place evokes the same feelings - you will have to take me there one day.....please

The Father said...

Any time you can drag your scrawny ass over here lulu it will be the first thing on the list ..... and i know a great little pub just down the coast which does some great guiness. m

The Harbour of Ourselves said...

oh mercy me....