It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words-no one is exactly sure of its provenance, but it is assumed to be oriental in origin. The one above certainly does for me.

WhenI took this picture, as I was walking into work at Marjon University this morning just before 8am, I was immediately filled with an innate sense of calm and wellbeing. It was as if all was right with the world, which is what my heart probably felt, but in my head I knew it was anything but. Refugees fleeing war torn parts of the world, without a home or future; Brexit meaning Brexit; the never-ending pantommime which bills itself as the US Presidental election; earthquakes in Italy and on, and on. But just for that second when I saw the beauty of nature laid out in front of me, none of that seemed to matter. Nature was laying out her beautiful vision of the future, one which relies on the simple pleasure of standing and staring, and being at one with all that simplicity.

I wondered how someone like Gareth Bales, reputedly on £750,000 a week can still appreciate the simple pleasures of life, when he has more money that he could possibly spend in a life time. I wonder if it brings him happiness?