Hi Everyone,
Seems like a while since I wrote the Blog so time to have a go again. This time I think it will be a reflective piece. Since I wrote the last time we have a had a traumatic time in our family, my ex-husband, the father of my children has died. It has been a time of great reflection and a time to contemplate the meaning of life and what is this life all about?

When the Vicar came to see the children to talk about their Dad and to think about the sort of send off they felt that he wanted, it was lovely to watch and listen to them recall with great glee some of the funny times in his life and the times that they remembered from when they were younger. Fun family times along with tearful times and then the things that make up family history and folk lore. Trailing through all those memories made me think and wonder what will people think about me when I am long gone?
My daughter through her reflections came out with a profound thought that each of us is here on this earth to learn a lesson and to teach a lesson and when our lessons are done it is time to move on to another place.
That made me think about all that lesson planning I had done in my time at University teaching Social Work students, was that the lesson I had to teach?
I dont think so, unless there were particular students to whom I had to teach a single lesson?
So what is that great lesson I have to teach, what wealth of knowledge or understanding have I to share and who is to be my student?
There is an old proverb that states that when the student is ready the teacher will come along. Now I think back to particular periods in my life when I have felt alone and unsure of the way ahead and inevitably a fellow traveller has joined me on the road, sometimes for a short way to get me on track and other times life long friendships formed. Often though when a particular crisis or life event has moved on the traveller moves on too, clearing the way for new companions to walk the walk with us. Are they on their journey teaching lessons that they were meant to teach in their life time, whilst we are there, as students to learn?

Think back to times in your life, perhaps time when you have hit a crisis and think back to who were the important people around you at that time, where are they now? Have they left and gone on with their own journey or have they become life long friends. Not all friendships are meant to be life friendships, they are transient in periods of our life.
So as we said our goodbyes to Dennis, it was time to think about the life lessons we had learned together and be thankful for the time we shared, the children we had brought into the world and loved together, but now time to let him go, a lesson learned and a lesson taught and time to enjoy pastures new.

For today, think about those around you who are important to you. Give thanks for their friendship and be ready to welcome new companions along life's way. Who knows perhaps our paths are destined to meet to help one another along the way?