07/08/2026
I don't know whether the Lion's Gate opens a portal.
I do know this time of year, when the August Bank Holiday marks a quiet turning point.
We begin to think about school uniforms and how much the kids have grown over the summer. For some its starting a new school, others sitting important exams, or packing for their first day at college.
Without really noticing, we begin to make preparations and look towards the next season.
Here in Ireland, this time of year has long been marked by Lughnasa, the ancient Celtic festival of first harvest. It was a time to pause before the busyness of autumn arrived. A time to gather, give thanks for what had grown, and reflect on what would be carried into the months ahead.
I wonder if we've lost something of that.
When we are preparing for new beginnings, we can easily forget ourselves.
We know how to work.
We know how to care for everyone else.
We know how to keep going.
But somewhere along the way, many of us forget how to pause.
We forget how to listen to ourselves.
So whether the Lion's Gate is a cosmic event or simply a meaningful symbol, it shouldn't really matter. If it gives you permission to stop for just ten minutes and ask yourself,
"How am I, really?"
Maybe that's the real harvest.
Not what you've achieved.
Not what you've accumulated.
But the wisdom you've gathered, the resilience you've grown, and the person you've become.
Maybe that's the doorway worth walking through.
"Everything else is commentary."
❤️ As we move from summer towards autumn, may you take a moment to honour your own harvest before rushing into the next season.
