It's not even a week, yet what had been my life for 7 years and 10 days, seems like a decade ago.
Nothing in life is constant, and for new beginnings, there must be endings, so open-heartedly I anticipate the changes in this new phase of my life, regardless of whatever uncertainty lies ahead.
The experience of living in different places has its advantages and disadvantages, the weather being one of them...
Being from the tropical paradise Jamaica, there was a time when I only had an appreciation for summertime - real sunny days and warm nights, and I'd frown at all other seasons which all seemed like winter (they made me want to hibernate).
I'll fondly remember my time living in the Philippines, where I'd take short walks to the sea in my back yard, and I'd spend many days dry on the rocks, meditating, reflecting, conceptualizing, and reconnecting with myself.
The valuable lessons and experiences presented to me have helped to develop and ground me.
Memories Of My Life In The Philippines
Taught me the following:
- Tolerance and true resilience.
- It enhanced my belief in expressing, exploring, and being whatever I want to be.
- Reinforced to me that the opinions and judgment of others are merely a reflection of themselves and their personal beliefs.
- I found a balance for my inner darkness and unconsciously shun my inner light in many ways.
- I learned to only respond and never react.
- Made me analyze and define how being overly success-driven can take away from truly living, and the importance of finding balance.
- I searched my soul and found the importance of living in the present.
- I found my way back to my true free-spirited self.
- I had the opportunity to spend time in nature, just like my childhood days, and I'm still reaping the benefits.
- I came to understand that not everyone wishes you well, and I accepted it.
- To truly enjoy time alone and discovered how much you can hear from silence.
- A real understanding of how much "misery loves company", and the importance of investing energy and time wisely.
- Got me out of my comfort zone
- Made me embrace being misunderstood without attempting to express or prove myself.
- I invested time in resolving my personal traumas and became mindful not to take onboard others' unresolved traumas.
- Where I did many things I'd always wished to do.
- And so much more ...
In many ways, I'd say I feel liberated.
My mind is free 🙏
Being back in the UK - which feels like home, my appreciation for grey, cold, sunshine, and a mixture of all weathers at once, makes me realize how far I've come.
I believe we (humans) have a great ability to complicate things, and while I've craved, and I'm carving the desired way for me to live, love, and enjoy a simple life, I'm overjoyed that a personal dream of mine to live on a narrowboat has come true.
I keep telling myself that I'm not a water baby because it is indeed so, and although I love looking at the sea for meditative benefits, I've always been a lover of rivers and honestly find beauty in the nature which surrounds canals.
I have slept well the past 5 nights, not only as a result of an extremely comfy mattress, but by the stillness and freshness of nature, and cute, joyful sounds of quacking ducks, geese, swans, and many other animals which glide peacefully and gracefully along the canal.
I'm looking forward to my mother-in-law teaching and helping me to identify all these new types of birds and creatures that are allowing me to share their spaces with them.
Samsara?
I do feel like this is the rebirth of not only myself but a reviving and actualization of a dream shared between me and Cameron 
They say nothing happens before the right time, and this applies to the abilities of my husband and myself, to live together and transform to the requirements of living on a small narrowboat.
I've had the desire and yearned for a simple minimalistic life for a very long time, and this is the start of it.
With all being said, my journey around the world has given me the insight that it's not what we do in life, it's how we experience it and how we react to everything (good and bad), that comes our way.
Personal reminder: sometimes it's hard to choose between the past and the future, but that's ok, because I don't have to. The Present is all I have, so I'll enjoy it 🌈