Life Is Just That Way

Life Is Just That Way

By Paul McCann

Do you ever wonder about everything in life in the spring when all around Ardoyne there were roses growing and birds singing . I looked up at the sky and saw the sun coming through the clouds . It was so different to see some blue in the sky for a change , it was always grey and overcast . I remember asking Harry our window cleaner why everything was colourful and bright . He said that his job was easier in Spring and that people could ever see their windows shine but he had no explanation why the flowers were all out in gardens and birds were singing , He just smiled and said somethings in life were a mystery and that’s just how it is .

So I went up to Holy Cross and sat in a seat near the pulpit looking at altar and  asked God why life was such a mysterious thing but for some reason why I never got any answer . There were some workmen up in the choir loft hammering away .

I heard someone say there was a problem with the pipes in the organ . One of the workmen hit his hand with the hammer and screamed out a bad word . There was a priest on the altar and one of the workman called down to the priest and apologized for using bad language , within a few moments the  priest went over and removed the host from the tabernacle and told the workmen , it was ok now if they wanted to use bad language . As I looked up at the two big artworks on both sides of the altar I was amazed at how much activity was there on the place where Jesus was crucified and thought about the bad language that must have been used on that day , The depiction of Christs crucifixion was an amazing piece of art . Then without even thinking I realised how lucky I was to see the all of the wonders of art and life in the spring  and thanked God for giving me ears to hear and eyes to see  That made me realise I should be saying thank you more and not questioning why . After that I went home and felt at peace and harmony with  the world and grateful to have the ability to see the colour of the flowers and ears that could hear the sound of the birds singing . From that day on I realised Spring was like a friend and  a time to chase pickpockets, fly kites and appreciate the colours of spring .

Winter came and I wondered why the pipes froze at our school in Butler Street . I asked Mr Toal who stoked the boiler why the pipes were frozen and he told me it was because the water froze inside the pipes . So I asked him why the water froze and he said it was one of God’s mysteries .

So later on I went to Holy Cross and took  a seat in the wee chapel where our Lady Of Victories statue was and sat there for an hour . I was cold and very quiet there and Paddy the sacristan asked my did I want to speak to one of the priests and I asked if he knew why the water froze and he told me it was God’s way of showing the world that we also need to chill and be still sometimes in life .

So after that I left the chapel and walked home . Along the way there were two workmen near the forum steps sitting in a small tent . There was a fire burning in a steel drum outside the tent . I stopped for a moment to warm my hands and the workman there said how cold it was . I told him it was God’s way of telling us to be still in the winters chill .. It was very nice to have the heat of a small fire that day and I thanked God for that and said goodbye to the workmen 

I realised that we needed to have the cold to appreciate the heat and the dark to enjoy the beauty of light . Life is full of extraordinary things and the way we see things around the world changes  . I though that hat was more like a miracle that a mystery . Winter left and I realised that just accepting the way things are took away all my questions of wondering why it had to be  . Miracles and wonders , sounds and sight , Warmth in the cold , youth growing old like a sunset after the day is done . Still moments sometimes bring answers to our inquisitive mind .

.The End