It was a spectacular day for an early morning walk today – crisp clear skies, no wind, and that freshness that fills your lungs and makes you feel braced and ready for the day. I love the colours of this season. Overhead the deciduous trees all shedding their brilliant leaves, and underfoot the leaves crunching as you walk along.

I was thinking as I walked, of the things that have happened in the last year. It was on this very walk only 3 and a 1/2 months ago that my phone rang and I was told Mum had died in the morning. It being Mother’s Day yesterday, she was very close to my heart. There are so many times I think of doing or saying something to her, and then remember. And last week, my sister called me when I was almost in the same spot, to say their family pet was gone. (She hadn’t died – when I turned up there, the cat was sitting waiting. Later that day though, we brought her body back from the vet and buried her). No, I’m not changing my walk.

Life is full of all of these ups and downs, and somehow we need to face the downs with courage, and the ups with joy, and it is all part of LIVING and doing that well. I have been learning to treasure my opportunities and my environment much more as I grow older and see that what I have before me, timewise, is much shorter than what lies behind. I don’t feel that with any sense of panic, more a sense of deeper appreciation, and a strong desire to not waste my time on things which really don’t matter.

You know, it was a year ago I was packing to leave for Scotland, and the adventure of the UK Outlander Gathering, and then driving myself around. I didn’t know then what a glorious time I would have, and how easy it was to ‘follow my nose’ around the narrow roads of the highlands. Nor that I would write my first book upon my return. (That book is still available should any want to buy it. The cheaper version is black and white here, and the colour version here.)

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the year that followed my departure for Scotland and the UK. It made me realise that it is so important to dream of what you’d like to do, and then take steps towards achieving that. Don’t be limited by what you don’t know, and especially, don’t let fear rob you of the experiences that will make your life rich.