500 Blogging Miles

It's a very noisy world, and often we can't hear ourselves over the din and racket, or we have closeted ourselves away, hiding behind busyness, headphones, or so busy talking about stuff that fills the air, we miss the moments when we can lay down all the walls, and protective armour that has been put up to hide our true selves away from others. All others.

Blogger says that this is my 500th blog, and so with that, it felt like a good time to do a little reflecting on the reflecting that has taken place here. It has covered three countries mainly....though at least 2 others have featured, I think! Many years, experiences, friends, learnings.

There has been a lot of heart break and heart ache with all kinds of people, but the lasting threads, themes and colours that shine are of God's love, faithfulness, and constancy. And in the mending there has been strengthening, leading, growing and amazing people. It's a continuing journey. I am not where I thought I might be, but am where God wants me now. 

The main reason I started to write all those years ago was because I like to journal, but there is an additional challenge to make it a public journal (inasmuch as this is public still...). For me the challenge was to process something enough in order to make it public, to get to whatever the issue was, rather than an event or issue- this didn't always work, but mostly...anyway. There were times when it was a way of keeping me accountable, to a time, or marking the days, or journey and the processes of whatever it was I was going though. This last season has gone far longer than intended, but has also grown and developed since I first started, and I wonder too if it has become the foundation from which so many other things have developed and grown- so, so many things have changed since then too!!

Mostly though, this came about as a way to journal my reflections in a different way to a journal does; to create a space to share with those who chose to find me, who wanted to stop and listen.

Since I started, I have trained as a counsellor, which, mostly is listening to people's story. To have someone stop, heed, pay attention to, and listen to your story is such an amazing thing, and such a rare gift, especially, unlike counselling, when it is a mutual dialogue. And can be found in the most surprising (or not!!) of places- and super frustrating when found far, far later than it should have been.

Has it helped?? Yes. I have appreciated it when friends have checked in and followed things up- in my life, but at the same time, not assumed they knew what exactly I was talking about. Would I change anything? No. It was always meant to be a space for me to be me. A starting point to share and be heard.

So, thanks. For the part you have play in my journey, whether big or small, whatever it has been. 

Thank you.