NeuroDivine

On Saturday, I’ll be standing in a room in Ballymena, surrounded by family and friends, to celebrate my mum’s 80th birthday. As part of the celebration, I’ll be reading a hymn I’ve written for her—a way of honouring the story she has lived, the love she has given, and the quiet strength that has shaped so many of us.

Writing this hymn has reminded me how deeply our lives are formed by the people who hold us, teach us, and believe in us long before we know how to believe in ourselves. Mum has been that steady presence for me and for my brothers: a teacher, a leader in Girlguiding, a supporter of education through the University of Ulster, a Scottish country dancer (where she met Dad), a sister, an aunt, a godmother, and a woman whose life has always leaned toward service and kindness.

The hymn isn’t just a tribute to her. It’s also a reminder that every life—including our own—carries layers of meaning that deserve to be named and celebrated. Neurodivergent or not, we all move through the world shaped by relationships, landscapes, memories, and the people who have loved us into being. Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is pause long enough to acknowledge that.

On Saturday, I hope that I’ll read this hymn aloud as a poem. It will be my way of saying thank you—not only for the years she has given, but for the way her story continues to ripple outward in the lives she’s touched.

May we all learn to honour the people who have shaped us.

May we learn to honour ourselves with the same tenderness.

For the gift of Mary’s presence,
for her steadfast, tender care;
for the years of love she’s given,
shaping life with wisdom rare.
For the joy of sons she nurtured,
and the home her heart made strong—
God, we thank You for her journey,
and we lift her in our song.

For her guiding hands in service,
leading girls to grow and shine;
for her teaching, still inspiring,
planting words like fruitful vine.
For her work in Ulster’s councils,
lifting learning’s hopeful call—
God, we praise her dedication,
and Your grace that shaped it all.

For the dance that first united
Mary’s heart with one she’d love;
for the reel of Scottish footsteps,
blessed by providence above.
For the years of shared devotion,
woven through both joy and strain—
God, we thank You for their story,
and the love that still remains.

For her life as loving sister
to her brother and her kin;
for the warmth she brings as auntie,
and the care godmothers bring.
For the ties of wider family,
held with loyalty and grace—
God, we thank You for these blessings,
and the love she helps embrace.

Eighty years of light and courage,
forty‑eight in motherhood;
through each season, joy or challenge,
she has sought the way of good.
Bless her now with peace and gladness,
strength renewed for all that’s new—
God, whose love has shaped her story,
keep her always close to You.

May the love she’s freely offered
circle back in gentle ways;
may her days be filled with laughter,
and her nights with quiet praise.
Grant her hope for every morning,
and your presence all her days—
God, we thank You for our Mary,
and we crown her life with praise.

Text copyright (c) 2026 Michael McFarland Campbell. All rights reserved.