For most of March I was unwell and missed out on a busy period of work. Yet what felt like a setback, has, on reflection, been a blessing; from slowing down, to budget management and new insights into where the body-mind-spirit needed to heal. My recovery luckily coincided with blissfully warm weather, and part of my recuperation was sitting under a great oak tree at Croft Castle, where I witnessed a large flock of sheep being herded into the field. What a sight to behold. I was reminded of the Psalm ‘The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want, He restores my soul” – a psalm of comfort and a testament to God’s goodness in the midst of every circumstance.

“The word love is most often defined as a noun, yet we would all love better if we used it as a verb.” writes Bell Hooks in her book ‘All about Love.’ Concerned not only with love as romance and desire, but also a new path to love that is sacred, redemptive and healing for our nation, Hooks talks about how our power to love is much greater than we think, and draws attention to the barriers to love and lovelessness that exists in our society. This book, along with Marianne Williamson’s ‘Return to Love’, which Hooks refers to, are beautiful bibles of love.

I bring to you a new song, born of an experience a year ago today on Christmas night when I held my niece, Ffion, (welsh for foxglove!) and watched her sleep, with the profound feeling this moment was a gift from above. I felt so much love for her, I stayed awake the whole night and watched her sleep. The experience was intensified by the fact it was Christmas Night, and my mind cast to the nativity story.