Discarded Beauty: Pause and Ponder Reflection along the Pilgrim Path

Fr La’s weekly ‘Pause and Ponder’ from along the Pilgrim Path at Lough Derg. This week’s reflection – ‘Discarded Beauty’.

Discarded Beauty

Back at the quarry again I survey

the boulders and rocks that lie scattered around.

The quarry delivered rough, suitable stone

for the forest roads when they were laid down.

These are the stones that were not put to use –

and here I discover some discarded beauty.

A layer of white quartz in a sandwich of limestone

reflects back the light to claim my attention.

That other rock, too, has some quartz, I suspect,

from the way that its swirling lines catch the light.

And the base of this boulder shows a segment of curve

so clean that it might have been drawn with a compass.

How often I passed and never had noticed

that these natural wonders were awaiting my gaze.

Fr La Flynn, Prior

13 September 2021