(Memories of Paris)

As I write we are driving down to Cork to visit the relatives. It’s a rainy Friday but the winter morning smell as we got into the car was beautiful and reminds me of motorbike trips in the rain. On the bike you can feel the rain on your helmet and waterproof jacket and trousers but inside you are warm and toasty! Unlike sitting in the car, on the bike you get to smell the smells and feel the sensation of the rain plop, plopping.

(Police horses for Lusi)

So that got me thinking about how sometimes we don’t want to smell the smells or feel the feelings of the things that are going on in our lives. It’s much more comfortable to sit in the car, it’s more consistent, there’s no sudden temperature drop or farmyard smell! But we miss so much. We miss the raw feelings and the joyous ones. We miss the unexpected, we even miss the expected.

(Winter gardening)

You don’t need a motorbike, Laura (my Camino walking friend) would say the same about a walk. So, take a walk or a ride with the smells and feelings of your life and if you’re in Ireland make sure the immersion is on for a hot shower afterwards….

Happy New Year, Mairead.