Earlier this week I was enlightened of the fact that we each get on average 30,000 sunrises – 30,000 days – in a lifetime.  It doesn’t sound like much.  It definitely sounds like something I shall to call to mind whenever I am given an opportunity to extend beyond my comfort zone and wonder whether I should take the safe way out.  To that effect, I hope that you would all agree I’ve done just the opposite of that this year.

It has been three months since I left London and there have definitely been highs and lows.  I can’t say I have any explicit regrets, but I can certainly say I have a lot to feel really thankful for; foremostly I appreciate I am very lucky to have been able to embrace this experience to the full.

My City job gave me the backbone to deal with people who may be more contraversial and less considerate than I would otherwise be used to.  My philosophy degree gave me an open mind and the ability to take a step back and consider the bigger picture, before striking forth with my opinion, even if I still feel correct.  The friends I have made along the way and the experiences you have shared with me, the way we can laugh about mistakes made, lessons learned and desires for the future, realistic or idealistic, confirmed that we’re all in this together no matter the ground distance between us and gave me the confidence to do this perhaps slightly crazy thing.

What I am trying to say – albeit if I only see you every six months or so now – the support of loved ones, the knowledge that you are behind me and there for me, even if this doesn’t strategically work out, is such a comfort.

And then there is family; this is the message I received from my Mummy before I left the UK, in response to a comment as to how I was surprised by the unwavering support I had received, given what was perhaps a bit of a bold decision: “For you to be happy, healthy and content with your life is what I want for you – then I am happy too xxx”.  Thank you all for being a part of my world, I am a lucky girl.

Let’s take a moment a day to appreciate every sunrise.