A Deaf Musician

As though a deaf musician, I am part

Of some great orchestra I cannot hear.

The only notes that fall upon my ear

Are those which rise unbidden from the heart

And offer teasing glimpses of the art

Of harmony. Yet have I heard, in clear,

Still moments of perception, what appear

As distant drum-beats; pulses that impart

A rhythm to the cosmic melody.

Then, with a quick'ning joy, I see that I

Am moving to creation's symphony.

As birds that wheel and dart across the sky

To secret music, so it seems that we

Can sometimes see the patterns as we fly.

Save Our Oceans

When you've a subject on your mind, do you find that information on that subject is constantly capturing your attention?

That happened to me this week, the subject in question was 'plastic'.

May I share some of my findings with you?

Did you know that the island of plastic garbage in the Pacific is now twice the size of France . . . and is growing as I write?


Did you know that the plastic in the world's oceans is killing a million seabirds and a hundred thousand marine mammals every year?

Did you know that over two hundred million tons of plastic are produced annually, the majority of which is dumped in landfill sites and in the ocean?


Did you know that, according to a new study, by the time we reach 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish?

But if, like me, you find those facts overwhelming, did you know that all is not lost?

Help is at hand in the form of a solar-powered ship, a ship which has recently been invented  for one specific purpose . . . that, together with a fleet of similar vessels, it will traverse the world's oceans, sucking up the accumulated plastic debris that's been discarded so thoughtlessly.
Equally encouraging is the knowledge that we can participate.


Would you like to help launch these life-saving ships . . . to assist them in carrying out their mammoth task? 
If so, it's very simple, all you need do is click here.

The oceans of the world will be forever in your debt . . . not to mention the fish, the seabirds, and the marine mammals.

Oh yes . . . and did you know that, according to a recent study, the average life of a plastic bag is fifteen minutes?

What about you and I taking a pledge?  Let's promise that each plastic bag in our possession will lead a long, hard-working life and never reach the sea . . . it would be one small step in the right direction!



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From Lesbos with love

Have you a moment to spare . . . a moment to share a website I've discovered?


The story featured may have reached you already, it was mentioned by the BBC and covered in the Press.
But, if it escaped your attention, I know you'll find it as remarkable and moving as I did.  As you'll see, it's packed full of all those admirable qualities which, so we're told, are sadly lacking in modern life.

If we're to believe the media, modern man has three dominating emotions . . . fear, greed and self-concern.
It's rare to hear a political leader espousing kindness, co-operation or the interests of others.
But it's these emotions that lie at the core of this heart-warming tale.

Let me whet your appetite . . . last year a family in Iraq, a family with five children and a small, white cat, fled their war-ravaged homeland in search of peace and security in Europe.

Together with thousands of other refugees, they journeyed south to Turkey where, squeezed into an open boat, they managed to cross the Aegean Sea.

All went well, and the family arrived safely on the island of Lesbos.

But this was where trouble struck.
The small, white cat, who had happily accompanied them in his basket for so many hundreds of miles,  became scared by the chaotic conditions.

Wriggling free, he disappeared into the maze of winding side-streets.    After searching desperately for a week, the family were forced to move on, carrying an empty cat-basket.


I won't spoil the story by telling you what happened next.  Suffice to say that, as a species, we are far kinder, far more compassionate and infinitely more resourceful than we allow ourselves to believe.

Fearful . . . greedy . . . self-obsessed?  Far from it!
Click here, and re-evaluate both cats and those who care for them.

We should be justifiably proud of our potential as  caring and resourceful human beings!