I just want to reassure you that I am okay. I had planned to spend a couple of days catching up with admin and the website and a couple of days walking a long distance footpath with a friend, Wiesiek. Sadly work pressures led to a move of the walk from Mon, Tue to Wed, Thu. So I got my head down on Mon, Tue and did some reviewing on the website which is so very close to launching. That took little time so I then started work on the book. I wanted to try and finish a chapter that I had started work on and had 36 hours to do it. I worked tirelessly at it stopping only for a short walk and some air at lunchtime. But at the end of the 36 hours I was nowhere near to finishing as I nursed sore knuckles and finger tips. I then looked at my email to confirm the walking plan. Work had forced a cancellation. So the walk was off. I was disappointed but clearly understood that work must come first and besides, we could always try another time. The cancellation did give me another 48 hours to try to finish the first chapter but at the end of for 48 hours again coming up only for air and a short walk at lunchtime I still hadn’t finished the chapter. My head was spinning, my bum numb, my knuckles aching, and my finger tips tender but I still hadn’t finished. I have a new found respect for authors. They work incredibly hard to research and write their books whether a novel or a true-life story or an academic journal in such a way for it to make any sense and actually be readable. I found myself having to go back over the 54 pages written time and time again to edit it down to something readable, something engaging and have learned huge amounts in the process. This is going to be hard work and maybe even quite a sizeable book but as I reviewed my childhood, those early years and experiences that helped shape me into who I am today and held them against the experiences I had in 20 years in service followed by the last 2,000 miles travelled post diagnosis I have started to truly believe that God has held me most firmly in the palms of his hands. As I nursed my tired hands I felt blessed. I still haven’t finished but definitely need a break from writing. I am going away to Culzean Castle on the Ayrshire Coast tomorrow, for the weekend to learn as much as I can about Bats. There is much talk about the university of the third age. I am not old enough. But for me I have joined the University of the second life. There is much that I have yet to learn. Much that I have yet to experience and much that I have yet to do. In less than a month, as the American consultant and my UK consultant predicted, based on years of experience and the worst case scenario for me, the lights are supposed to go out. But they didn’t reckon on my faith, they didn’t reckon on the support from my friends and family, they didn’t reckon on the focus and drive for life given by the challenge to improve the lives and life chances of so many more people, they didn’t reckon on the wonderful European trial I have been blessed enough to be loaded onto, they didn’t reckon on the brilliant NHS and they didn’t reckon on my determination to Beat the Beast. There are no lights going out this month or any other month for the next 40 years at least. I have far too much to learn, far too much to see, far too much to do and two young children that I wish to see grow and grow through further education, into jobs, into marriage, into a first house, into loving and successful parents, happy and fulfilled.
Ohhh and I also have a book to write!
‘Grant to me, Lord, the spirit to think on those things that are right, and always to be ready to do them: that I, who without you cannot be alive, may have the strength to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ, my Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.’
Collect of the day from Evening Prayer of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Yours aye
Archie
BtB!