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 staff or rod mentioned in the Psalm is used to bring the sheep back to where they should be, under the safety of the shepherd’s care. I could feel God doing the same for me, gently bringing me back to a place of stillness and restoration. We can learn from the monastics that there is benefit in silence, and a deeper clarity in our purpose if we can empty the mind, and rely on God for provision. This Psalm is also full of movement; lying down, walking, eating, leading, guiding, and following, it concludes with looking forward: “your goodness and love will follow me.” God continued to speak to me through this Psalm when I was invited by a friend to visit a farm where she once lived, to meet ‘Lucky the lamb.’ What a lovely way to spend the first day of April! Having the chance to hold and feed a baby lamb felt lucky, almost like a symbol of hope and providence for new beginnings and the onset of summer. As Easter approaches I’m counting my blessings, (and sheep!) and learning to enjoy these priceless, simple moments of joy. The joy of simply being alive. And in light of current world events, – Covid cases and the atrocities we are witnessing in Ukraine, the Psalm has never been more relevant.