I’m going to apologise in advance that this post has nothing to do with photography. Yet I still feel the need to write it.

It’s been an incredibly difficult year for me in so, so many ways. Yet I was standing in my kitchen last night, warm and clean from a gorgeous shower, snuggled in my dressing gown, gazing out at the sun setting over the distant fells and I felt a huge surge of gratitude. I am one lucky woman.

Lucky in that, despite being diagnosed with a brain tumour, I am still here to see the sunset. Lucky that, after nearly 4 months of paralysis, my face is finally unfreezing itself 🙏🏻. But, most importantly, lucky in the people I have in my life.

My cousin has done all the building work for me in my new home. He’s currently on a well earned holiday in Gran Canaria (I’m looking after his dog) but in his absence I came across a potentially very serious structural problem while removing some stonework in my lounge and I didn’t know who else to call but him. Despite being mid way through eating breakfast he immediately arranged for one of his lads to come to my house to look at the issue. I was so grateful.

The young lad turned up despite it being his day off. And he came back twice later on in the day. He didn’t get paid and was simply being kind and thoughtful.

3 months ago I was asked by a chap in my local Screwfix what was wrong with my eye, so I explained re the tumour diagnosis. “What are you buying self levelling compound for then?” he asked, and I explained I needed to level the en suite floor before I could lay some laminate. “You’re not doing that in your state!” he exclaimed, then offered to come and do it for me free of charge. I’d been out of hospital less than a week, was feeling horrendous, and burst into tears at his kindness. He turned out to be a master floor fitter who used to run his own business – the Universe was looking out for me that day.

He’s since laid the bedroom floor for me, screeded the huge hallway and is coming back to lay the laminate flooring. He’s also fitting me new skirting boards for free.

A new friend I’d only known for a week before I became ill kept me company via text the entire 6 hours I was in A&E and has rung me virtually every day of the 4 months since. He’s a physiotherapist and has been incredibly helpful with the recovery from my facial paralysis. He’s also sent me much needed virtual hugs, and real life flowers, just to keep my spirits up which I admit, some days, have flagged. The Universe looking after me again.

An old friend has always been on hand, taking me to hospital for my eye appointments and just generally checking up on me and caring about my well being. He is such a steady and supportive rock.

I have a massage at home once a month to help with my chronic pain and last week was telling the massage therapist that I’d run out of money and didn’t think I could afford to plaster my lounge (the last room left). Four days later she turned up with a trailer full of free plasterboard – I was blown away.

None of the people I’ve mentioned above have received anything from me. Their help and support have been utterly selfless and given simply because they have kind hearts.

It’s been a real slog, but I’m finally nearing the end of the renovations on my home. I now have solar panels, a new eco friendly central heating system and a water tank which delivers actual hot water to my taps (a novelty!). The rooms are finally all coming together and by Christmas I hope I can finally relax, take a well earned rest and enjoy the fruits of my substantial labour. It’s so wonderful to cook in my new kitchen, soak in my spa bath, watch birds in the garden from my bed, be energized under my rainfall shower (finally no mould in sight!) or to sway gently in my garden swing seat as I breathe in the tranquil view. But I couldn’t have done any of it without the people mentioned above.

Kindness, I’ve always found, is the most important quality in a human being and a true indicator of a person’s soul. I’ve encountered unkindness this year, and people who have had scant regard for me or my situation, which only makes me appreciate kindness all the more.

I say, again, I am one lucky woman. I hope you have kindness in your life.