For personal reasons, this year has been one of the worst of my life. The pandemic hasn’t helped, especially as I’m extremely clinically vulnerable to Covid and am still largely isolating. I desperately miss being part of the world – having friends round, visiting people’s homes, going out for lunch, mixing with my Camera Club. While for healthy people it’s easy to say we’ll all have to “learn to live with the virus”, for the vulnerable it’s a whole different ball game. We are in the same storm but we are not all in the same boat, and people in my position have been all but forgotten.

While most people relax and have fun over Christmas, for me it’s often a quiet time for reflection. The busy 24/7 world stops, just for a few days, and the peace is palpable. I look back and take pride in the things I’ve done well, and learn lessons from the things I found challenging. More than anything I try to be kind to myself, which usually involves eating enough chocolate to sink a ship and stuffing my face with Pringles until I feel really quite sick 😄.

I started 2021 full of hope. I had plans and dreams and life was full of possibilities which, due to circumstances way out of my control, have all remained unfulfilled. It would be easy to feel discouraged and to give up, especially as I am beyond exhausted, but I’m not the giving up kind.

I start each day full of hope. I have plans and dreams and life is full of possibilities.

Whatever your dreams for yourself, I hope they come true. Happy Christmas!