Month: May 2020

Phase 1

Published by pbyrne63 on 18/05/2020

Phase One Begins

D Day Is Here

The Day Our Country Starts To Normalize Its Sense Of Fear

As We Start To Take Back Little By Little

What Is Within Our Control

Our Numbers Are Down In Every City And Town

To Ease Restrictions Is The Way To Go

We Now Have A Roadmap

A Direction To See Us Through

A Well Laid Out Plan To Follow For Me And You

This Depends On Us, Getting It Right

Doing What’s Being Asked Of Us

To Hold Firm, Stay The Pace

It’s For All Our Sakes,

How To Stay Ahead Of The Race

For Until A Vaccine Has Been Sourced

We Will Have To Stick The Course

Try To Put Our Fears And Our Anxieties To One Side

And Start To Live Again Outside

Not Like Before But The Best Way We Have Learned, To Do, To Be

While Staying Safe Inside

This Is No Easy Ride

This Will Be Hard To Contemplate, To Navigate

We Will At Times Feel We Are Going Round The Bend

The Queues For Everything Will Seem To Have No End

So Let’s Take Our Time

Take It In Our Stride

Breath In The Fresh Air

Look Up At Our Clear Noiseless Skies

And Remind Ourselves How We Have Survived This Deadly Curse

While It Was Doing Its Worst

So Let’s Pause,And Celebrate Our Cause

We, Ireland’s Own By Staying Home

Is Showing Our Strong Willed Determination And Our Resilient Strength Is Seeing Us Through

Now Go Do Your Best

Stand Up To This Testing Phase,

An Act Of Faith

Let’s Show This Virus It Will Have Nowhere To Go

No More Hosts,

A No Show.

website www.aguidinglight.ie

Facebook page A Guiding Light

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Contemplate

Contemplate

Published by pbyrne63 on 17/05/2020

A Cross Placed Outside A Local Church For Us To See

Each One A Symbol Of A Person Who No Longer Ceases To Be

Who Has Been Taken By This Deadly Curse

A Stark Visual Reminder Of It At Its Worst, We Hope And Pray

A Place Now To Sit And Reflect

To Pay Our Respects To Those Who Have Lost Their Lives This Year So Far

How Many More Do We Need To Add To This Score

This Is Up To Us

This Is Within Our Grasp

To Do What’s Asked Of Us

No More, No Less

Just Do Your Best

Live The Best Life You Can

We Are Not Through This Yet

But We Can See The Light Shine Bright

At The End Of This Tunnel

We Just Have To Keep Going,

Hold Firm

For Each Other Family, Stranger And Friend

So Take Some Time To Apprehend

To Contemplate Our Fate

As We Take Each Others Virtual Hand

And Walk Out Of Our Gates

To Start Afresh, Anew, A Way To Live Our Lives

With So Many Things Changed, Having To Be Rearranged

It Will Be Strange And Feel Scary At First

But We Have Already Shown We Can Stick The Course

“We are In It For The Long Haul, And The Long Haul Requires Courage”

So Place Your Courage Into Your Hands

As We Start To Navigate Our Fair Land Once More

That Was Just A Wishful Thought We Held Before

While Life Is Being Lived

Behind Our Front Door

©Pauline Byrne 2020

website aguidinglight.ie

Facebook page A Guiding Light

Getting It Right

Published by pbyrne63 on 16/05/2020

We Now Have A Road Map, A Plan

As Our Country Re-Opens

An Ease On Lockdown

As We Walk Outside

Apart Yet Together

Hand Washing Etiquette To Be Maintained

Face Covering Required In Crowded Places, On Transport And In Public Places

Going For A Shop This Is Strongly Recommended Too

I Do This From Me To You

An Act Of Protection To Help You To Stay Safe

I Do This With Social Grace

Social Distance Is Here For Now

We Can Connect In A Group Of Four, No More

We Are So Excited For The 18th To Come

It Is Like Waiting For The Starting Gun

No Physical Contact To Be Made, Smiles Allowed

No Social Hugs Can We Take

We Are Doing It For All Our Sakes

Just Catching up, Delighted To See Each Other In The Flesh

Not Through WhatsApp Or Zoom, Connected In A Room

But In Real Life

This Plan Can Only Succeed

If We Stick To The Rules And Guidelines Laid Down

And Not Be Tempted To Visit Each Others Homes Or Towns

Stay Outdoors As Much As You Can

Savour Each And Every Moment Spent In The Company Of Loved Ones And Friends

We are Doing This Slow

Taking This Step, Easy As We Go

It Is All In Our Hands

Our Fate Depends On Us Getting It Right

We Don’ Need Fuss

This Is All Going To Take Time And Patience

This One Is On Us

We Are All Only Learning

How To Live This Way

So Spare A Thought, A Kind Word To Say

To One Who You Know Is Struggling With This Today

We Wont Always Get It Right

But We Are Doing It To Win The Fight

For The Right To Live Life On Our Terms, As Much As We Can

We Hold Firm For Every Child, Woman And Man

website aguidinglight.ie

Facebook page

A Guiding Light

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Value

Published by pbyrne63 on 15/05/2020

Value Our Quiet Times

When Our Minds Can Be Still

And We Can Go Within

Singlemindeness Has Gone

We Are Tapping Into Each Other

The Generations One To Another Are Coming Together

The Young And The Old Where Knowledge And Wisdom Can Be Shared,Taught And Told

Through Acts Of Services And Kindness

Friendships Are Being Formed

We Value Our Relationships With Strangers Who Now Are Friends

Neighbours Who Have Been There For Us

At Times Saving Us From Going Round The Bend

A Friendly Face That Knocks On Doors

To Walk A Dog Or Get A Shop

The Daily Chores, Sorely Missed That Some Can No Longer Do

They Are Cocooning At Home

For The Sake Of Me And You

We Are All Making Sacrifices

This Much Is True

For The Best Outcome To Be

Another Survives, Another One Gets To Stay Alive

Health Care Workers Who Work In The Care Of Others

Have Lost Their Lives

No Greater Reason Do We Need To Stay Safe Inside

These Earth Angel’s Risked Their Lives To Save Another

No Greater Gift Could They Give

Than To Sacrifice Their Life

So That Others Might Live

Let’s Put This In Perspective

What Is Being Asked Of Us

To Stay Brave,To Stay Strong

To Do Our Best

To Honor Those Who Have Gone Before

We Stay Safe, Behind Our Door

website aguidinglight.ie

Facebook page A Guiding Light

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Mental Wellness

Published by pbyrne63 on 14/05/2020

It Is Out Of Our Control

It Is Out Of Our Hands

So Let Us Keep It Out Of Our Heads

Sometimes It Feels That We Are Going Into A Bad Neighbourhood

Dont Go There, Stay Out

Take A Breath, Count To Ten

Scream Or Shout

Let The Stress Out

Find Your Way, What Works For You

Some Calming Voice That Guides You Through

Or Music Played Loud Or Low

Whatever Lifts You Up, Let It Show

Find Something For Your Hands To Do, To Make, To Create

To Lessen The Stress, The Anxious Thoughts And Feelings Felt

A Walk, A Run For Twenty Minutes Or More

Helps Change Your Mood And Is An Act Of Self Care

To Put Yourself First

And Then To Care For Another

Is The Order Of The Day

You Matter, You Are Loved

Self Care In Action Is The New Way

So Taking The Time

Finding Your Personal Space

Taking In A Deep Breath

Connecting In On All Levels

Body, Mind And Soul

Shows You Know What To Do

To Self Soothe Is The Way To See This Through

The Body Knows And Keeps Score

When We Get Overwhelmed, Stressed

Can Take No More

We Leave Our Bodies And Minds

Go Out A Door

Or Leave By A Window

Can Tolerate It No More

So Take That Breath, Fill Yourself Up With Thè Light

Let Go Of The Dark

Remember The Darkest Hour Comes Before The Dawn

Stay Safe,

website aguidinglight.ie

Facebook page A Guiding Light

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A Time To Heal

Published by pbyrne63 on 13/05/2020

A Time Of Stress

A Time Of Restlessness

What To Do

How To Get Through

This Time Of Unprecedented Change

How To Adapt,Adjust

Sometimes It Just Feels Too Much

How To Cope

How To Fill Our Hearts With Hope

For A Future Bright

Our Planet Earth Put Right

That Needs To Rest

It Took A Deadly Virus To Arrive At Our Door

For Us To Pay Attention Once More

To Step Up To The Plate

And Pray That We Have Not Left It Too Late

To Heal Each Other

The Earth, Our Mother

We Now Have The Time

To Put Our Lives Back In Rhythme

Learning What Matters More

As We Evaluate, Appreciate Our Lives Lived Behind Closed Doors

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We Wait

Published by pbyrne63 on 13/05/2020

I Pick Up My Pen And Think

Are We Really Coming Out Of Lockdown Next Week

Are We Doing What’s Being Asked,

Required Of Us

95% Of Us Without Causing A Fuss, Are Doing It

Are Getting It Right

We Really Want To Come Out Of This Plight

In A Democratic Society

The Majority Rules

In A Pandemic It Appears The Minority Act Like Fools

Disregarding The Rules And Guidelines Laid Down

That Are There To Guide The Way

To Keep Us Safe And Keep Danger At Bay

To Protect Us From Harm

We Keep Our Loved Ones Out Of Arms Reach

We Are All Feeling The Pain

Willing And Praying For Them To Be Back In Our Arms Again

Telling Them How Much They Matter

Showing Them How Much We Care

For Ours And Their Safety

We Are Willing To Bear

The Loss Of Their Touch

The Days And Months Spend Without Them

At Times Feels Too Much

This Is Not An Easy Ask

But We Are Showing, We are Rising To This Task

We Wait With Baited Breath

For The Number Of Cases To Reduce

The Death Knoll To Sound No More

To Hear, No More People At Death’s Door

We Will Come Through This Terrible Plight

Stronger Than Before

Just For Now We Still Need To Stay At Home Behind Our Door

website aguidinglight.ie

facebook page A Guiding Light

Healing With Care

Published by pbyrne63 on 12/05/2020

Our Earth Is Healing

Our World Will Too

Our Souls Are Bruised,

Battered Black And Blue

Yet Our Spirit Is Shining Through

At This Time

This Is Not Us,

This Is Not Who We Are

This Is Not How We Act

Like Strangers From A Distance, From Afar

This Is The Way It Has To Be For Now

To Keep Us Alive And Well

This Is How We Have To Do It, Be It

Don’t Let It Change Our Nature

We Are Known As A People For Our Warmth,

Our Kindness Oozes Through

We Are Kind Hearted Kindred Spirits To All

We Will See This Nightmare Through To The End

Without Losing The Essence Of Who We Are

What’s Innate To Being

A Human Being

Now Turn This Back Onto Yourself

Be Kind, Loving And Forgiving, With Self Care

You Are Doing Your Best

This Isn’t A Test

This Is Life As We Live It Now

Let Go Of The Judgements, The Worries, The Fear

Live In The Moment

The Promise Of Now

Stop, Take The Time To Really Smell The Flowers

Take In Nature’s Natural Breath

Breathe It Deeply Into Your Soul

Allow Yourself To Rest

Marvel At Its Beauty

Its Ability To Stay Whole While

Adapting, Adjusting To Change

Now Apply This To Yourself

As You Face Another Day

Your Inner Strength, Your Determination, Your Resilience

Will Keep The Negative Thoughts At Bay

Enjoy Your Day, Your Gift, The Present

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The Brave

Published by pbyrne63 on 11/05/2020

The Class Of 2020 Doctors Graduated Online

They Were Needed To Take Up Their Posts On The Frontline

Doctors And Nurses Who Had Left Erin’s Shore

From The Four Corners Of The World

They Were Called Back Once More

They Came In Their Droves

Seventy Five Thousand Worldwide Answered Ireland’s Call

With The Intention Of Working To Save Us All

To Get The Numbers Right, To Flatten The Curve

We Are Needed To Play Our Part

We Stay Home, Staying Safe

So They Can Do Battle With A Deadly Enemy That Has Spread Worldwide

No Guns Are Needed

Just Proper And Necessary P.P.E.

This Is The Armour They Wear For Hours On End

Keeping Themselves And Those In Their Care

Safe And Well

In Sometimes What Appears To Be A Living Hell

The Visible Mark’s Appear On Their Skin

The Invisible Scars They Carry Within

For The Physical Pain And Emotional Trauma

They Endure, Day After Day

They Will Need Time Off, To Rest, To Process, To Heal

For The Fights Of Their Lives Take Place

Behind Hospital Doors

They Are Lost And Won From Hospital Beds

They Watch Filled With Hope Sometimes Dread

Our Earth Angel’s Dressed In Blue

Now Have A Greater Grasp On What To Do

To Save A Life Of One In Their Care

Or Show One Who’s Passing

That They Are There

In Life As In Death

They Show That They Care.

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The Core

Published by pbyrne63 on 10/05/2020

We Have All Been Shaken To Our Core

Taken By Surprise

For The World We Have Lived In

It Is No More

But To The Challenge We Will Rise

Their Is Light All The End Of The Tunnel

Until A Vaccine Is Sourced

We Have

To Stick The Course

We Have To Go To

Ground

Staying Apart Is The New Way Of Staying Together

It Is Breaking Our Hearts

That Our Loved Ones Are Just Out Of Our Reach

They Are Held In Our Hearts

But Not In Our Arms, In A Warm Embrace

The Human Touch, Oh, It Matters So Very Much

Make No Mistake

Social Distancing Is The New

Its What We Have To Do

To Keep Ourselves And Each Other Safe From Harms Way

It Doesn’t Feel Good

It Doesn’t Feel Right

We Do It Because It Is Helping Us All To Win This Fight

We Are Weakening The Virus

Letting It Die Out

Making It Disappear

So We Can Get On With Our Lives

Lived Out Without Fear