655

655 miles on a train.

Last week was a week of travel. 655 miles to be exact. Not exotic out of the country high-flying travel, but travel within England. I had aimed to almost blog my way through the week as a means to document my journey/journeys. But as concluded in a chat between myself and a good friend last night, sometimes the gaps in our writing whether that be journalling or blogging or text messages and emails... Sometimes these gaps or silences do not represent nothingness, but they express life and living. If we were to look back at the times we did not write, we (I) would fill in the majority of blank spaces with goodness and stories of living. I write 'I' in brackets because this is not a generalized statement - I know that for some, the blank pages epitomize exactly that; the dark rooms and empty corridors. In other words, such loneliness. Whereas for me, the blanks at least for now equate to life being simply lived. This can only ever be a positive thing in my books. It might be lonely at times, but what kind of life isn't lonely at certain points? Particularly whilst travelling and away from home? In fact, I became so much in need of my own family that I took myself to see them all this evening and it was the best form of medicine I could hope for.

Following the Birmingham and London work, I arrived at the house of Anna in Loughborough where we spent a few days together and did the things only we know how to do best. We ate sushi and drank cocktails and wine along with many caffeinated beverages. We attended art gallery exhibitions led by a psychology lecturer, we experienced NLP therapy, and we had the best kinds of conversations in the sun regarding life, the soul, and love, mainly whilst drinking wine in the evening. Friends like this are for keeps.

I could have stayed with Anna for longer, but I headed home for a very short evening and then to Sheffield for a job. Life is just very busy... I had feared so much for my own sanity if anything - worrying that once University had finished I might be left with precisely the black nothingness that I describe above. But in fact, I am left with an adjustment period which one can only resist the urge to fight against. Being with Anna was a small reminder that sometimes, the most powerful and helpful thing to do is to 'let it be'. Of course, let it be with our feet very well grounded in reality, but let it be nonetheless. Amongst the good old need to cling onto the familiar and hide from the unnatural and new aspects of life which we can't help but associate with that wonderful concept we know as 'change', there is so much more life to be discovered. So much more than even a week and 655 miles can ever hope to bring.

A lot of 'life' is happening... And I have two new very exciting projects about to begin.

Here's to the month of June - it's already shaping out to be a wonderful June.