Reflections on Dover Castle from an ex-pat St Pete's singer who is blessed to be able to return and sing with Dr. Martha Johnson and the members of the St. Peter's Choirs.

When I was young, my school had a reading of Paul Gallico's The Snow Goose – a story that has always inspired and fascinated me. That and the white cliffs of Dover as seen through the eyes of numerous painters – most notably, Claude Monet. Even though I have viewed the cliffs from a ferry, I have never been to Dover as a tourist.

Going through the castle, the church, the chapel, where a tape of glorious music was quietly playing in the background, and the secret tunnels under the castle, carved into those luscious white cliffs, made me feel the Pilgrim that I am rather than the average Irish-American tourist.

We walked from the highest Roman structure in the UK, the Roman lighthouse, to the castle that housed Princes and Kings, Queens and Saints, workmen and servants. We strolled where thousands of feet have strolled – over the double moat on authentic drawbridges, to lookouts where they could see to France to ancient armament rooms, and tunnels. 18th century tunnels that grew into 20th century tunnels, where government could continue to exist even if all else failed. Perhaps the lowest level, now closed, is really being restored as an emergency place for PM Blair and his cabinet in case of WWIII.

Looking from the top of the castle to where thousands of ordinary and not-so ordinary British citizens of all ages and from all walks of life put their lives in God's hands to sail, row, and motor across the English Channel in the middle of war – dodging bombs and sea-mines - to rescue over 350,000 English, French, and Belgian soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk made me, in my pilgrimage, feel insignificant. The pride, courage, and spirit of those people dwarfs anything I have experienced, including 9/11.

The journey will always remind me that there is much more to life than consumption, politics, or even Faith alone. There is action from the spirit that guides us to do more, to give, and to love as Christ loved.

For now, it is music, which of course, is a gift and an act of love. Singing to the glory of God in a divine space; listening to sounds rolling out of hidden pipes then reverberating up and down and around to God's ear. Watching Martha; praying and breathing with her as we start to sing, "My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."

Dianna Robin Dennis
Composer/Writer
Templemoyle Lodge
Shudane, Athenry
Co Galway, Ireland