A heady scent of coconut wafts over the bog - the gorse is in bloom. Gorse bushes always have one or two flowers visible, hence the old saying 'When the gorse is out of flower, kissing is out of season', but in April they erupt in a magnificent show of bright, buttery yellow that spreads its exotic perfume over the countryside.There is another side to gorse - the dark green, thorny spines that grow instead of leaves. I am aware of them today, as one of our staff is seriously ill. In the midst of growing light the darkness intrudes; under the bright flowers are harsh barbs, the shadow side comes to the fore.
Gorse offers one more metaphor which may bring hope. If cut down to its roots or damaged by fire, it is extra-ordinarily resilient. It will come back strongly and burst into life again, with a proliferation of new, soft and, for the moment, thorn-free growth.
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