Twenty-six years ago I had a job I liked, I had a nice enough place to live, I had a few lovely friends, I was in a steady relationship that was beautiful and I lived miles away from my parents which was difficult but I managed.

Today is the same, yet completely different.

I have a job I like, I have lovely friends, I am in a beautiful relationship and I live miles away from my parents which is difficult but I manage.

What makes today different?

It’s not that I am terribly self- aware but may be just a little bit more than before.

Not all that much travelling has taken place, but I have travelled a bit further in body and mind.

Many mistakes have been made – some lessons learnt and some mistakes repeated.

A lot has been lost and an immeasurable amount of enrichment has also taken place.

Many people have touched my life and vice versa.

A few more words have been added to my vocabulary, such as “being centered” and “equanimity”.

My ‘being’ has added a few more dimensions to itself.

On the journey from head to heart, I have moved closer to the heart.

In the brief time we have here, there is so much joy and love, the full range of human emotions to be experienced, so much more to be learnt and celebrated, so many more hugs and smiles to be shared, so many more possibilities to be opened up to.

“We shall not cease from exploration,

And the end of all exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.”

-T.S Eliot. Four Quartets.