My sister, Brenda,
came to me one day
when she was wee saying,
“Uncle Hugh said something today
that made me feel sad!”
Intrigued, I asked
what Uncle Hugh had said.
“Uncle Hugh told me,” said Brenda,
“that today will never come again.”

“Oh!” I said, unhelpfully
and we sat down together
on the front door step
to ponder one of life’s great truths
glumly.

This morning,
more than forty years later,
Brenda’s words come back to me.

I’m standing at my favourite spot
on the Tow Path,
cup of tea in-hand.
This is my last day at work
before finishing for summer.
It’s far from perfect.
Last night’s rain
has left the bench beside me
pooled with water,
dark grey clouds threaten overhead
and all of the river wildlife
seems to have gone into hiding!

But there is beauty here
as the Lagan slips calmly by,
silently mirroring the trees and sky overhead
and I sense My God
standing quietly by my side.

I resolve to savour the imperfect beauty
and the peace
of this damp summer’s morning –
every … single … precious … second –
because, as Brenda said, all those years ago,
this moment
will never come again.

© Claire Murray, 1st July 2019