Holiday!

Today is a holiday for me; the University is closed. This year the University of Reading celebrates its 90th Anniversary.  While the last months haven’t all been joyous; with cuts in spending, redundancies, job losses and more difficulties ahead, we have welcomed this day tacked onto the Bank Holiday to make an extended weekend.  

Some of my colleagues will go away; Reading Festival bring hoards of dishevelled and noisy teenagers to the town, a getaway is a good plan. I, on the other hand am staying at home to enjoy some time to myself.

Since returning from Brazil  4 weeks ago I have been busy pleasing myself alongside which they’re have been some demanding factors that have taken me to a dark and lonely place.  Try as I might to be a good parent or strong dependable big sister I didn’t always make it.  

Each day I have faced  a mirror from which reflected a head of decreasing hair; a tuft or two are struggling as we speak.  Yes! I have been here before and don’t need reminding  … but it is complicated. Grief is.  

However, it can be your friend, like joy, anger and regret, if we greet it from a balanced or best, in the true place then it can strengthen, motivate, inspire and even catapult us to a stable and more comfortable place.  

So while my bald head is not such a pretty sight; injuries do repair, relationships mend and hope remains … Good wishes to those who understand depression and complicated grief.