It’s a new moon today, though most of us will probably only look up and see it tonight if we have a clear sky. It always fills me with a great sense of comfort to see the tiny sliver of light hanging there in the heavens. It may not be as bright as the full moon, nor as majestic, but there is a sense of promise of great things to come.

Sometimes I just stand and gaze at her (for to me, the moon will always be ‘she’) but mostly I have to fit my adoration in with whatever else I’m doing, such as carrying out the rubbish bags, or refilling the dogs’ water bucket. I like to salute her, just to let her know that I’m there, that I’ve seen her.

In his work ‘The nature of the gods’ Cicero wrote 'If any man cannot feel the power of god when he looks upon the stars, then I doubt whether he is capable of any feeling at all.'

I’ll go along with that.