I'm reliably informed that this post is long
overdue. Some readers have told me that I simply left them hanging in my last
post in Vietnam. You know who you are.
So here I am, home sweet home.
I thought that coming home would be the start of a new journey.
It is.
Like most journeys, there are plenty of surprises, plenty
of unforeseen disasters, accidents, and moments of serendipitous beauty (I like
these best of all).
It's been lovely to see everyone again, all the
people I missed while I was away. You know who you are. I feel like I appreciate
all of the friendships in my life much more for being away.
People will
tell you otherwise, and feel free to believe them, but you don't need to travel
the world to change your world view - it just helps. Travelling allowed me to
glimpse into the lives of people whose daily lives are nothing like my own. This
glimpse of difference helped me to see more clearly what I have. And I have a
lot.
Looking at my life after travelling, many of the things that
worried me or caused me such unhappiness in the past now seem inconsequential
(they are).
I
am less interested in judging the lives of others and more interested in what I
can achieve with my own. I am less interested in other people's opinions of me
and more interested in my own perceptions of myself. I am not so quick to anger
nor so quick to despair (which is not to say I am over anger and
despair.......!)
I like my own company more than I did before. I like
myself more than I did before.
Now the challenge is to see if I can
carry on the lessons I learned when I was away. The challenge is to see if I can
continue on a journey that continues to enlighten and enliven me.
And at
last I get to put down that bloody backpack. It was 32 kilos at the last count
when I left. I think that makes me a Royal Marine.
Join me back at The
Daily for my travels back home. And wish me luck! x
