“Hope is not about believing things will always get better, but about finding meaning no matter what happens.”
Byung-Chul Han

Last week was another step forward in Pádraig’s journey, marked by quiet progress, meaningful connections, and a reminder of the power of music.

A Night of Music at Iona Church

On Thursday, Pádraig attended a string quartet performance of Beatles music in Iona Church. The setting was intimate, the sound rich and layered, bringing a new depth to familiar melodies. The music wasn’t just something to listen to—it was something to experience, to feel. Watching him take it in, it was clear that moments like these matter, even if we can’t fully measure their impact.

Progress in the Everyday

Beyond the concert, the past week was filled with small but significant moments—responses during therapy, interactions that felt clearer, and a growing sense of engagement. These aren’t breakthroughs in the traditional sense, but as Byung-Chul Han suggests, hope isn’t always about radical change. It’s about recognizing meaning in what is, rather than waiting for what might be.

Moving Forward

There’s no roadmap for this kind of progress, no fixed milestones to measure against. But each week, in ways both seen and unseen, there is movement. And sometimes, just being present—whether at a concert, in therapy, or in everyday life—is enough.

Fake and Real

I hope you noticed that up to here there isn’t a word I wrote. Nor a picture I took.

I decided to give Chatgpt another go. And this is what it produced. Pretty scary stuff.

These two pictures of last week’s String Quartet Beatles Concert by Candlelight in Iona are real.

As was the magic of the evening.

Smartbox sent over a trial device for Pádraig to work with. It is, basically, a fancy tablet, with a stand, a rucksack, keyboard and mouse, running software that helps with communication.

We’ll have it for about three weeks and will do our best to use it every day as often as possible. And then decide whether to buy it.

Upwards and onwards. And no more fake stuff.

But always finding meaning no matter what happens.