t’s Saturday afternoon and I’ve been up since dawn, out in a huge field, in blistering heat. I’m tired but I’m certainly not complaining, it’s a day we’ve waited for for two years and I’m getting to hear all manner of pipe bands play (including my own son).  

A short moment ago, I discovered that the blog I wrote for Sunday is miles away at home on my laptop and I’m here with only my phone. So, inside the noise here, heat and busy, I’ve found a fence to lean on and a swift and hasty replacement blog it is. My apologies!

I watched a couple of young kids a moment ago. He was about ten, she was about 7. He in his pipe band uniform, she in shorts and a t-shirt. They were larking around daft, gently pulling each other over, making faces. Then a relative asked them to pose for a photo. Calm was made, they smiled like abdines and the photo moment I’m sure will be treasured. Most likely nobody noticed the joyous lead up to the photo or the after part, when they wandered away laughing and chattering.  

The series of moments made me think of our mental health. When we arrive at any snapshot moment, it is just that - a still moment. We don’t always think of the lead up or the after, and yet we can be intensely consumed by the snapshot moment.

Might we hold that thought a while? Ponder on what that means to us, what the bad parts of that is and, most importantly, what the good parts can be.

The snapshot of the children was beautiful, but posed. The best parts, for me, before and after were the nuggets of gold. Here’s to that.

Love from

The room above the garage

A Moodscope member.