What Chess teaches us about Sacrifice?

Today's P52 theme is sacrifice. 

Playing chess teaches us a lot about sacrifice.  I remember as a little girl in Primary (grade) school, spending endless lunchtimes playing this marvellous game.  I played with my friend Robert, who's Dad had taught us both to play chess.  We played chess in school, we played at each others houses.

We had games that went on for hours.  Sometimes way past our bedtime, and the board was put away, with the pieces in position, and started up again, the next time we were together.  Othertimes, games were ruthless and over within moments, a casual mistake leading to an immediate checkmate.  Sitting by the fire on cold days, or basking in the hot summer sun.  I even bought a magnetic chess board, and the games continued in the car, in the caravan, on park benches.

Unknowningly as we played we were learning about life, strategy, knowledge, prediction, winners and losers -sacrifice, and war. 

Finding out how far we were prepared to go to win, who we would sacrifice to get there, who was worth sacrificing - a pawn, a rook, a Queen.  These lessons learnt at the chess board were unwittingly grounding for life.  Even today I remember that those that we think are numerous, and not really that important - the pawns - making them easy to sacrifice, can actually be game changers.  Not only on a board but in real life.

I had gone to take photographs of my friend's grandchildren.  When I got there, their Papa was teaching them to play chess, the concentration of their faces, as they struggled with the complexities of the game, was amazing.  I literally had my camera out in seconds, and was taking shots.

Chess is a game, that I feel every child should learn to play.  Sadly I don't play as much as I would like to today, and am I am little rusty, but I look forward to the day when I will play again.

On Friday's I also love to join up with the Gypsymama Lisa Jo, and just write, freestyle for five minutes, today's prompt is goodbye.

I spend so much time saying goodbye.  Getting onto planes, and leaving.  People, I've known for years.  People I have only met. 

Life is sporadic. 

There are wonderful times of celebration when we get together.  Seeing each other after years have passed, only to find, that actually, we could have hung out yesterday.  A wedding in New York.  A trip to the Giants Causeway.  Roadtrips to Donegal.

That connection, that deep friendship is there.  But these brief moments, when it is experienced, that friendship full of shared stories. 

I think of friends across the ocean.  I think of friends across the sea.  I think of friends at the other end of the country.  I think of friends who I rarely get to see.

I think of university ...

Late night trips to the A&G, or walks on the beach at midnight.  Crazy Friday's, and sleep overs.  Driving in my little mark 3 Turquoise Fiesta with its go faster strips, and bullet hole, along twisting country lanes. Singing at the top of our voices to the Marvericks.  Or sitting in silence but for the recorded sound of Jacuqline du Pre's cello.  Heated debates, and opinions.  Lunches that ended at breakfast, two days later.  Long and deep conversations that went on to early light.  Breakfast in the hotel after a night of dancing.  Cooking dinner together.  Trolley's in the street.  Dinner parties.  Seeing how many shots we could do with straight faces.  Smashing plates on our heads - the secret is follow through.  Late night noodles, and canoodles.  Bottle walls, and curries.  Essay crisises, and studying.  Burning the midnight oil.  Any excuse to get dressed up - having a dinner party, well let's make it black tie.  Champage breakfasts.  Ulster Fries for 100 people.

Laughter. Tears. Distance. Death. Friendship. Memories. Space. Time.

How these memories make us laugh. 

We grow older, we move, we travel, we mix it up a bit.  We have new stories. 

We connect online.  We skype. We visit. We write. We email.  We share. We talk on the telephone.

We say hello.

We say goodbye.

Why don't you join me today, either with photographs or writing?

Have a great weekend.

That's it for now...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable 

Happy Birthday Gran

Make a Memory 

Today is the anniversary of my Gran’s birthday.  We were very close.  There really isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think about her.  When she was alive we spoke nearly all the time, sometimes several times a day.  We talked about everything; the birds she had seen in her garden, the people who had come to visit, my latest romantic panic, but mainly we talked a lot about food, what she had baked that day, what we had eaten, what we were going to eat, who was coming for dinner and where we would seat them at the table.  On Christmas Day we often had 30 people for lunch. There was a lot of preparation to do the day before.

On Christmas Eve, for as long as I can remember Gran and I hung out together in the kitchen – cooking and listening to ‘Carols from Kings’.  She taught me how to make stuffing, and prepare the turkey, how to cross sprouts, and peel vegetables – leaving them in bowls of cold water with wedges of lemon so they didn’t go brown - how to boil and roast the ham, with a special clove, honey, cider mixture, and how to make trifle, and fruit puddings.  As we followed ancient handwritten recipes in our family cook books Gran shared stories with me from when she was a little girl.  Stories that have become a part of my history – like when her sister, my great aunt decided to make a Christmas cake under the dining room table complete with butter, fruit, flour and no bowl – you can imagine the mess – this story has entertained people for generations.  Today as I prepare the traditional Christmas dinner for my family, I remember these stories, all her little kitchen tricks, the carols we sang and the laughter we shared and the importance of a well-set table and a good placement.  My mind is full of marvellous memories.

This winter as you prepare for Christmas enjoy listening to the stories of the older generation; they have great tales to tell and when they pass their stories pass too.  Take time to listen, to make a memory, you won’t regret it.

Nicky Cahill 2010 -

The text above is taken from a 'Thought for the Day' that I wrote for BBC Radio last Christmas.  I felt it was the best way to celebrate Gran, and the legacy she gave me today.  As I prepare for Christmas this year, each moment spent in the kitchen reminds me of the time Gran & I spent together.

A photo I took of Gran, just before we went to visit my newborn baby sister for the first time

A picture from the early 1940s of my Gran, taken my my Grandpa

Another shot by my Grandpa of Gran, Mummy & Tandy

My favourite picture of Gran, taken by Grandpa that I keep on the wall in my room

Gran I miss you more than words can say, Happy Birthday to you, hope the angels are throwing you one beautiful party.

What are you favourite Christmas memories?

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Older - Five Minute Friday

Go

It's my birthday in a few weeks, less than a month away.   As I plan my party, I think back to this time last year, when I was in full scale planning mode for a 'Dukes of Hazzard / Cowboys and Indians Party' that turned out to be so much fun.

Where did the past year go?  It literally seems to have disappeared before me.  I start to feel a little concerned, that nothing much happened, that I really haven't achieved or done much, then I take that thought, and throw it out the window, as fast as I can.  It has been a really busy year, one of endless learning, new experiences, taking risks and chances.  Stepping out into the dream, slowly putting my toes into the water, and beginning to make ripples.

In my study surrounded by masses documents from the past year - words jumped off pages before my eyes. Reminding me of just how much has happened in the last year.  What I have done, the healing I have received, what I have learnt, what I have written, and thought about.  Where I have been, what I have dreamed.  Its been a brilliant year, abet one touched with pain, and the passing of my beautiful Coco - my Dalmatian.

Trips to London - for weddings - Gina and Gray /  David and Fiona, to film at the Proms, the opportunity to meet/work with Jilly Cooper, the chance to take photographs in Sicily, and Donegal, Manchester, and Dublin.  Going to music festivals with my sister and Jennie, learning to surf with my brother, watching movies, and reading amazing words.  Travelling with my sister.  Walking on Slieve League with Tal and Coco. Having great lunches with Kate. Listening to the ocean.  Walking barefoot on the shore.  Soaking in His presence.  Praying, and Praying, and Praying.  Running in the marathon with Sarah.  Watching dawn raising, and suns setting.  Singing in BCGC.  Hanging out with pals - laughter.

Reconnecting with good friends, who because of the places our lives have taken us, we don't see each other as much as we would like.  Working in tv - some good, a lot bad.  Leading a team. Writing and Broadcasting BBC Thought for the Days. Having a small exhibition of my pictures. Writing & photography - what a joy. Developing and starting to set up my business, researching, reading, thinking - oh I did a lot of thinking this year, lots and lots and lots of it.  thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking - and then jumping, taking the plunge to start salt and sparkle - and writing, everyday, everywhere, on everything.

In 27 days I will be another year into this decade. Even though life isn't terribly stable, and I am older - and the world tells me I should worry about all that hasn't happened, or where I am in life.  I look back and I think...

IT HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR!

I am thankful for this year, as painful as some of it has been.  I am stronger now than I was in August 2010, and living in my dream.  I have this wonderful sense, of all that is in front of me, and as I stand at the beginning of a huge adventure into something absolutely magnificient. Something that every moment in my life has prepared me for. I smile, older, wiser, I breathe, and I stand tall and I LEAP - into everything that is to come.

What does older mean to you?

Stop

Five Minutes - just write, no editing, then post.  Why don't you join a remarkable group of people doing just that at The Gyspy Mama today, I am looking forward to reading your thoughts.

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable