Friendships can be curious phenomena. They have the power to evoke almost every known emotion in us, they can be fleeting or forever, they can be a rollercoaster or smooth sailing and they have the capacity to teach us a huge amount about how to interact with this world.
Some friendships are for a time and season and those friendships should be appreciated for just that - their timely impact on our lives. Some friendships are longer lasting and it is often these that teach us so much.
I have had a few rollercoaster friendships that have persevered through the bad as well as the good and are now very dear to me. These friendships have shown me what is worth fighting for and rewarded me with being able to call some very wonderful people, my close friends. Those friendships can weather disagreement, differences and challenges and emerge as strong as ever, with both individuals benefitting from the other.
I have had just a very few friendships that have been smooth sailing, one lasting almost 15 years so far without so much as a hiccup and those friendships astound me - mostly by how the other person has managed to stick by me no matter what, reappearing when needed without requiring anything of me and having deep and unquestionable faith in who I am. Those selfless friends are remarkable people.
Most recently, one of my friendships has taught me about love. Specifically it has reminded me that friendships, just like the ones I have just described, must be self-less to thrive. They are not dependent on what you receive from the other person. They are unconditional simply because you love and appreciate the characteristics in the friend, no matter whether you are as important to them as they are to you.
One friend once told me to make sure my friends know how much they mean to me and that advice is something I have held close for many years now. Real friendships, no matter how long or short, are something worth cherishing and I hope I continue to do so.
Much love,
xx
Friday, 31 May 2013
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
An artistic perspective
I studied Music at University and although I don’t use my degree in my profession, it does provide me with a certain bias in my outlook on the world.
As I’m learning, most people view life from either an artistic or a scientific perspective, however slight that persuasion may be. I lean very much towards the former. I wouldn’t claim to be a musician or an artiste – my sister is infinitely more musically talented than I am and she does it for a living – but I would say that I empathise with the creativity that this world displays more so than the scientific logic behind it.
One of my many ambitions this year has been to find the beauty in art and by breathing in that beauty, the way you understand the world really does change. Watching classic movies, reading classic books, going to the theatre and generally trying to see the world, its architecture, music and language at their best, brings to life its beauty which in turn shines some hope on the rest.
The arts allow me to see and attempt to understand this world by showing me a bigger picture that isn’t immersed in detail that I am unlikely to be able to understand. They allow my senses to overcome my mind when my mind runs away with itself. They allow me to make sense of my mind when it becomes too full of different thoughts and they allow me to slow down and absorb what I often race past in a hurry.
How do you see the world? Through the arts, or through science? Or perhaps neither.
Much love,
xx
As I’m learning, most people view life from either an artistic or a scientific perspective, however slight that persuasion may be. I lean very much towards the former. I wouldn’t claim to be a musician or an artiste – my sister is infinitely more musically talented than I am and she does it for a living – but I would say that I empathise with the creativity that this world displays more so than the scientific logic behind it.
One of my many ambitions this year has been to find the beauty in art and by breathing in that beauty, the way you understand the world really does change. Watching classic movies, reading classic books, going to the theatre and generally trying to see the world, its architecture, music and language at their best, brings to life its beauty which in turn shines some hope on the rest.
The arts allow me to see and attempt to understand this world by showing me a bigger picture that isn’t immersed in detail that I am unlikely to be able to understand. They allow my senses to overcome my mind when my mind runs away with itself. They allow me to make sense of my mind when it becomes too full of different thoughts and they allow me to slow down and absorb what I often race past in a hurry.
How do you see the world? Through the arts, or through science? Or perhaps neither.
Much love,
xx
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Israel - walking the paths of history
Israel is a mind-blowing place.
Jerusalem overwhelms the senses, the Dead Sea is a wonderful escape and Galilee is the calm in the chaos.
We only spent a week travelling around this amazing country but it was such a unique week that its impact will linger long past our flight home.
We were travelling with two very good friends, one of whom is studying in Jerusalem and who turned out to be a pretty epic tour guide. By the end of the week, I assumed all of his words to be infallible as his knowledge was incredibly broad!
Although we saw many different parts of Israel, the week didn't feel at all rushed. The road trips were interspersed with banter, beautiful scenery... and the odd security check!
It was quite surreal actually getting to see the country that I have read about in the Bible for my whole life and heard about increasingly over the past few years as the conflicts that are part of everyday life continue to rage. You can tangibly feel the tension in Jerusalem - a riot kicked off on the Temple Mount while we were there and we saw two Jews dragged by their feet across the stone - but you can never forget that behind that tension lies a genuine and deep-rooted connection to Israel as a place.
We had many fascinating discussions that week that questioned my thinking and will continue to make me ponder over the coming months. Conversations around faith, possessions, people and the importance of 'place' were insightful and challenging. And of course, the food was quite wonderful - I found a new love of houmous and ate a lot of food native to the Middle East.
Photos can begin to share the beauty of this place but only visiting can truly convey the wonder and history of this beautiful land.
Much love,
xx
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Now is the time for 'One day'
As a young August baby at school and not having taken a gap year, I graduated from University aged 20. Since then I have had four jobs, each teaching me something about the world and each giving me a better insight into myself.
I've been married for over two years and am so content with the life I lead with the Photographer. We are seeing the world in our travels, we are learning so much about what we believe and who we are and we are blessed with an amazing home, incredible friends and parents and siblings we are so proud to call family.
Yet there are numerous occasions when I catch myself daydreaming about the future. "One day..." I say to the Photographer, telling him of my latest dream or ambition. "One day..." he replies in return, confirming that our hearts are both on the same track towards things we want to achieve with our lives, as individuals and as a couple.
It is freeing to know that at this stage in our lives, "one day..." is allowed to be as ambitious as we like. Our dreams are not focused on money or possessions. They revolve around fulfilling our potential, realising the gifts that we have and using them to their fullest, serving those around us and making a difference, however big or small, in this world. Along the way we want to be able to provide for ourselves and our family, but that is not our primary dream, it is just something that has to happen by the wayside in order to allow us to do what makes our hearts come alive.
It doesn't matter that we're not entirely sure how we're going to get there yet. We are just starting on this journey of figuring life out. What matters is that at this juncture we have time and passion to ask questions, take steps and risk chances. We have a blank canvas ahead of us, ready to be painted with whatever life throws at us and ready to be influenced by today's dreams.
One day, I look forward to turning to my husband, many of our dreams fulfilled and saying to him, "Today is 'one day'. We made it!"
Much love,
xx
I've been married for over two years and am so content with the life I lead with the Photographer. We are seeing the world in our travels, we are learning so much about what we believe and who we are and we are blessed with an amazing home, incredible friends and parents and siblings we are so proud to call family.
Yet there are numerous occasions when I catch myself daydreaming about the future. "One day..." I say to the Photographer, telling him of my latest dream or ambition. "One day..." he replies in return, confirming that our hearts are both on the same track towards things we want to achieve with our lives, as individuals and as a couple.
It is freeing to know that at this stage in our lives, "one day..." is allowed to be as ambitious as we like. Our dreams are not focused on money or possessions. They revolve around fulfilling our potential, realising the gifts that we have and using them to their fullest, serving those around us and making a difference, however big or small, in this world. Along the way we want to be able to provide for ourselves and our family, but that is not our primary dream, it is just something that has to happen by the wayside in order to allow us to do what makes our hearts come alive.
It doesn't matter that we're not entirely sure how we're going to get there yet. We are just starting on this journey of figuring life out. What matters is that at this juncture we have time and passion to ask questions, take steps and risk chances. We have a blank canvas ahead of us, ready to be painted with whatever life throws at us and ready to be influenced by today's dreams.
One day, I look forward to turning to my husband, many of our dreams fulfilled and saying to him, "Today is 'one day'. We made it!"
Much love,
xx
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Discernment
It can be very hard sometimes, to figure out what decision to make. Should I take this road or that, the left fork or the right, the path that leads one way or the path that leads the other and should I believe what I hear from him or from her?
The ability to think, question and reason is something that starts when you are very young and develops as you get older, leading to a level of discernment when you are an adult. To what extent you are able to discern right from wrong or wise from foolish is largely dependent on the influences you experienced when you were growing up.
In this age of technology, with the internet flooding our minds with information - far more than we can absorb - it is fascinating to me how the children and youth who have grown up knowing only the 21st century, will be able to discern the truth as they become young adults and enter the real world.
In my ongoing learning journey, what is more important to me than seeking information, is learning how to evaluate that information in a way that is beneficial to me and those around me. I don't want to blindly accept everything that comes my way. I don't want to join the masses who believe everything they read, nor do I want to believe that I must know everything about everything.
The world wide web has created the possibility of finding the answer to most questions with a few key-strokes and a mouse-click. It is no longer particularly advantageous to be an egg-head, as we are able to find answers quickly and efficiently without storing it all in our minds indefinitely.
I am by no means suggesting that real in-depth learning and memorisation should become a thing of the past. On the contrary it is crucial that we continue to learn and absorb important information, information that interests us and information about who we are and where we come from.
However, I would much rather the next generation are taught how to learn, how to use discernment with the information they are presented with and then how to evaluate their learnings, rather than bombard them with information we deem important and expect them to filter truth from fiction.
Much love,
xx
The ability to think, question and reason is something that starts when you are very young and develops as you get older, leading to a level of discernment when you are an adult. To what extent you are able to discern right from wrong or wise from foolish is largely dependent on the influences you experienced when you were growing up.
In this age of technology, with the internet flooding our minds with information - far more than we can absorb - it is fascinating to me how the children and youth who have grown up knowing only the 21st century, will be able to discern the truth as they become young adults and enter the real world.
In my ongoing learning journey, what is more important to me than seeking information, is learning how to evaluate that information in a way that is beneficial to me and those around me. I don't want to blindly accept everything that comes my way. I don't want to join the masses who believe everything they read, nor do I want to believe that I must know everything about everything.
The world wide web has created the possibility of finding the answer to most questions with a few key-strokes and a mouse-click. It is no longer particularly advantageous to be an egg-head, as we are able to find answers quickly and efficiently without storing it all in our minds indefinitely.
I am by no means suggesting that real in-depth learning and memorisation should become a thing of the past. On the contrary it is crucial that we continue to learn and absorb important information, information that interests us and information about who we are and where we come from.
However, I would much rather the next generation are taught how to learn, how to use discernment with the information they are presented with and then how to evaluate their learnings, rather than bombard them with information we deem important and expect them to filter truth from fiction.
Much love,
xx
Monday, 8 April 2013
Gumption, belief and vision
Many who know of my background will know that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is intertwined with my history. She is part of my childhood in a way that has shaped, but not dictated, my views today.
I have been genuinely disgusted by some comments I have seen today on Twitter. Comments from 'dancing on her grave' to Oddbins in Crouch End announcing cheaper alcohol in case anyone wants to celebrate anything, display an incredibly ignorant inability to see beyond what some people think is an impressive or smart position to hold about a tyrant, to a woman who had remarkable determination, vision, belief and passion.
Whether or not you agree with her politics, that inspiring strength was something that is very rare now. I can't name a single politician or person in the public eye, bar the Queen, who shows that same gumption.
Baroness Thatcher transformed our country and gave it a spark of life that it hasn't come close to experiencing since. She lived and breathed what she believed in and no matter your opinion of her, she had a steely character that I admire and that great lady of British history should be respected and remembered today.
Much love,
xx
I have been genuinely disgusted by some comments I have seen today on Twitter. Comments from 'dancing on her grave' to Oddbins in Crouch End announcing cheaper alcohol in case anyone wants to celebrate anything, display an incredibly ignorant inability to see beyond what some people think is an impressive or smart position to hold about a tyrant, to a woman who had remarkable determination, vision, belief and passion.
Whether or not you agree with her politics, that inspiring strength was something that is very rare now. I can't name a single politician or person in the public eye, bar the Queen, who shows that same gumption.
Baroness Thatcher transformed our country and gave it a spark of life that it hasn't come close to experiencing since. She lived and breathed what she believed in and no matter your opinion of her, she had a steely character that I admire and that great lady of British history should be respected and remembered today.
Her memory will live long after the world has forgotten the grey suits of today's politics. ~ Boris Johnson
Much love,
xx
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Waverley Abbey
What was planned to be a day taking photographs with friends at picturesque locations yesterday, turned out to be somewhat different thanks to the wonderfully defiant British weather. Instead of sunshine, soft light and colour, we were faced with bright white snow.
The day was fun anyway and our one location - Waverley Abbey - turned out be be really very beautiful in the snow and a miniature adventure with some good friends.
(The last photo is one of the Photographer's)
Of course, after enduring bitter winds and snow for a few hours, we had to finish with a late lunch at a pub in front of the roaring fire.
How very British.
Much love,
xx
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