Time Flies, But You Are The Pilot.

Only recently has the meaning of 'time flies' really become apparent in my life, my father may still kiss me on the forehead as if I were a little girl but the reality is that this year is going to be a huge jump on the path to adulthood. Moments flitter past me as if they were tiny flecks of dust in the rays of sunlight swimming lazily, through a windowpane. It isn't long until I will venture out into this world so I will definitely begin making a scrapbook this year to look back on, for now- I would like to share some of my favourite memories from 2014 with you.

 Alice & Marla: These two little cherubs are my twin cousins and they not only returned from their birthplace of Australia at the start of this year, but also 'celebrated' their very first birthday. I have watched them grow from fuzzy, milky little creatures into true characters and that makes me both incredibly happy and incredibly sad. The idea of them growing up and exploring this wonderful, yet dangerous world of ours is daunting but I can't wait to have real conversations with my favourite ladies.

 An unexpected adventure: This summer I arranged to go on the summer programme NCS, which meant travelling away from home and spending three weeks with total strangers whilst challenging ourselves on hikes and organising a social action project. I never went to scouts or did anything action-related, at least not without my family, whilst growing up, so the entire experience was totally surreal to me. Anxiety and frustration aside, it was one of the best things I have ever done. The three weeks left me feeling confident in myself, proud of my team and grateful for meeting some wonderful people. Cheesey moment.

Grateful: I did not spend nearly as much time as I would have liked with my friends this year, they make me extremely happy and the events which did occur- will remain with me forever. This photo was taken of us all on a spontaneous trip to Sandwich, where we trekked through land marshes and golf courses trying to find the beach, which upon arrival was freezing cold! We shared homemade goodies and other picnic food, skimmed stones, huddled from the wind in a tiny tent and felt totally disconnected from reality- a beautiful day spent with beautiful people.

Home: My brother returned from his year away in Australia early in 2014 and if there had to be a single person who I had to choose to spend my last ever day on Earth with, this is your guy. He is the voice which encourages me to speak the truth, my own personal Christopher robin, a best friend, a father figure and so much more. I know I will have many adventures and journeys this year and no doubt he will be right by my side. 

Realisation: This planet offers endless explorations, potential photographs, words and love to be found. I travelled to Spain with my family and best friend at around Easter time and although riddled with tonsillitis in the searing heat, the trip opened my eyes to the possibilities we face during our short stay on Earth. There are so many powerful scenes to be captured and things to experience, it is overwhelming but so inspiring to feel both utterly insignificant and yet in control of something so powerful as your own destiny. I can't wait to see where this world will take me next. 

First times: My other half and I endured our first full-on festival this summer, in Reading. It was stressful, muddy and the intense atmosphere fuelled many an argument, and yet it made us grow as individuals in such a short space of time. We adapted our sleeping schedules, endured the dirt and grime and made the most of the experience. We travelled home soaking wet, exhausted and sniffling but happy knowing that we had seen some of our favourite bands perform. Each and every day I learn more about the person I call mine and I adore celebrating these cherished moments we have spent together. More cheese, not sorry. 

Quiet Reflection

One of my new year 'resolutions' (I prefer to call them commitments) is to be more patient, to listen more, to stop interrupting and have a little faith that the earth will continue spinning for long enough for me to get my voice heard. This is something which I find bothersome in others and therefore tend to want to avoid doing myself at all costs.

It is difficult, to be filled to the brim with ideas and thoughts which although prove themselves useful, often burst out as unfiltered nonsense or phrased in such a way that it is interpreted as pompous or belittling- both of which are most definitely not what I intend for my words to come across as. 

'Be the flower that gives its fragrance to even the hand that crushes it.'- Imam Ali

The quote you will see above is one which I try to keep with me at all times. It reminds me that not everyone has had the advantages I have, or experienced events which although may not be the happiest of memories, they do have a large impact on the way I approach life each morning. It is for this reason that upon discussing the act of speech, it is worth mentioning the importance of how we react to the response we are given.

Being mocked for both my achievements and my flaws is something which fuels me to teach, motivate and bring a little more positivity into lives. Lives which may have lacked such guidance, to the point of which they believe it is appropriate to put others down to make themselves feel a little stronger. Such people deserve just as much love as the rest of us, so I am eager to continue sharing my thoughts and advice in 2015- I just need a little guidance in terms of how to go about doing so without rushing out of nervousness or speaking at the wrong moments. 

I apologise for sounding so alike Nick Carraway in this little soliloquy, but I hope that this will reach at least one person, and give them a different perspective or, at best, something to read on the way to work. 

Do let me know if you have any views on these types of posts, or even what your little commitments are for the upcoming year.

 ♥

A Few Favourite Novels

 

I always love reading book recommendations so I thought it would be appropriate for me to do my own. Just as a heads up, I enjoy reading a range of genres but find myself drawn to dark thrillers, romance and other stories fuelled by mystery.

Ingo by Helen Dunmore. I vividly remember this from my childhood as being one of the reasons I am such a water baby. It is set in a beautiful and dangerous world under the sea where two children realise they have the power to learn the ways of sea creatures on a search for their father lost at sea. This is written in such a clever way and I would recommend this to both children and adults who are seeking an interesting book with bizarre dreams upon reading.

Gone girl by Gillian Flynn. There has been a massive hype surrounding this book and the recent film and my god it is deserving of it- if you like treasure hunts, crime and twisted love then give this a go- I finished it in one sitting!

The Search for Wondla and The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony Diterlizzi. Both captivating reads, in terms of age recommendations TSC is definitely one for those up to the age of 13, a magical goblin filled world with beautiful illustrations inspired by nature. The Search for Wondla trilogy is one which I struggle to put down, I am yet to purchase the third book but all I can say is to ignore the fact that this is labelled 'for children' as there are moments when the story gets dark and weepy- believe me. Diterlizzi has an ability to explore senses so fully through his words that you genuinely feel involved throughout, if you are interested in what those in the future will discover from our world then please read them!

Why we broke up by Daniel Handler. The main two characters in this book, Min and Ed are breaking up, we are introduced to their relationship through a letter written by Min which describes items in a box which she is returning to him. Inside the box is bottle caps, movie tickets, matches and a number of other things collected over the course of their giddy and heartbreaking relationship. This book accurately portrays heartbreak in a way that teaches not to be bitter, but grateful for the things we learn over time spent with someone.

The following are books which would be perfect as a gift as they are both easy reads and wonderful ones at that:

The Memory Keepers daughter by Kim Edwards. A heart wrenching story about a man who gives away the twin sister of his son at birth so that his wife won't find out that she has down-syndrome. If you like books which are realistic yet written in a beautiful way then I'm sure you will love this one.

The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald. A quick and enchanting read about life in the 'roaring twenties' with a devastating ending. If you like glittering worlds and a novel that will stay with you for all your life, pick this up.

A few other mentions: His Dark Materials, Inkheart, The Goldfinch - more to come soon no doubt! 

Six Happy September Thoughts

 

Woodland walks- Autumn is the time when my family and I try the hardest to make some time to spend together. We all cram into the car, dogs and all! Equipped with flasks of hot drinks & cameras (standard), and head to the nearest forest. These are moments I cherish as I doubt I would remember an average evening of watching tv together in say, five years, but wandering around the great outdoors discussing anything and everything- I'm sure those are the days I will look back on fondly.

 

Christmas is coming- (mistletoe above) Now I manage to supress the squealing until mid-October, and we never buy our tree until late December, but I can't deny how truly excited I am every year! December 25th holds so many lovely memories and there is just something about snuggling up in a living room filled with loved ones, reading a book. 

 

Seaside lunches- As the days grow colder, I adore wrapping up in cosy clothes and bracing the sea-air as my family and I head down to the restaurant on the harbour. It quite literally floats at the end of the pier, so despite the initial slight sea sickness, it is pretty incredible to overlook the stormy waves whilst tucking into a hot meal.

Bathtime- Regular pamper evenings are a must, I'm much more of a fan of these around this time of year. You have struggled through hard days of work, followed by wind and rain- what better way to let it all go than with bubble bath/bombs, a cosy dressing gown and some ben howard? 

 

Grateful- This time of year I try to be extra positive about life, given that I and so many people I know are so lucky in many aspects of life. As a city girl at heart, the seaside still holds so many wonders each and every day that I long to discover and capture these moments on either a camera or written inside my notebook. This time of year I tend to cram a lot more thoughts onto paper, which hopefully means I will be more motivated to blog!

Winter pleasures- Last, and by no means least, September brings with it an excuse to wear oversized christmas jumpers and drink way too much tea. I won't go into that much detail, I'll end up rambling.. You get the jist, I bloomin love this time of year.

♥