Monday, November 24, 2008

Winter Twilight

Last Friday I fulfilled a longstanding desire to visit my beloved Ringsend park during the twilight hours. I wanted to capture on camera the memory I have carried since childhood of a silhouetted church steeple against a skyline bathed in pink light. I would not be disappointed.

As I strolled through the park aware of the many changes made over the years (extended enclosed playground, a new all-weather floodlit football pitch, the planting of numerous trees) I felt totally at peace, not fearful of being alone as if this is where I truly belong, a place I shall frequent when my soul passes on. Ringsend is my spiritual home.

The above image is my memory projected onto the page for all to see. Isn't that wonderful! Despite the raindrops on the lens and I not having adjusted the exposure compensation function I'm still pleased with the resulting heavenly scene.

Enjoy!

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Friday, November 7, 2008

America Has Chosen!


Perhaps the reason for my delay in posting this blog is that I'm still pretty much whacked after staying up 'till 5.30am Wednesday morning having shared during the night America's euphoria brought about by the historic election of its forty fourth president, Barack Obama.

Not since President Kennedy's visit to Ireland in June 1963 when I stood with my mother at the front of the barrier lining O'Connell Street have I felt such a huge rush of emotion for a political leader. Well, perhaps just once and that was when Bill Clinton was first elected president back in 1993. He too was Kennedy-like, handsome and oozed heaps of charisma, still does.

What I admire most in Barack is his total honesty. He has not promised that all this change will come about in his first few months in office. Indeed he has said in his first news conference this evening (Friday, 7/11/08) that some problems may still not be resolved by the end of his first term. I somehow think the world will be patient. It was very touching to hear him answer the personal question asked by a member of the media about what kind of puppy his daughters would be getting. We heard from him that his eldest daughter, Malia, is allergic to I guess animal fur so they have to be very selective of their puppy choice. That revelation really showed the man as a human being not the imagined cold-hearted political figure who will be living in his ivory tower. No, he is a concerned loving parent just like the rest of us.

I wish president-elect Barack Obama and his family a long, safe and joyful residence in their new home.

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Monday, November 3, 2008

Tomorrow's US Decision Decides Our World's Destiny


All we can pray for now is that this US President, whoever he may be, has recognised the mistakes made for the past eight years by President Bush and will do everything in his power to prevent such atrocities ever happening again. Thank God I am not the mother of a son or daughter serving in Iraq but if I was I know who my vote would be going to. When I listen to Barack Obama assuring these parents that their children will be brought back home from a war that I feel and millions like me, should never have happened in the first place something in me believes his words.

Whichever of the two men on whose shoulders this huge world leadership responsibility falls they will have many difficult issues to deal with and I pray God to guide them in their decision making.

Let's wait and see what tomorrow brings.


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