Faith...

I have read a few books on other peoples beliefs and what they believe it is that gets us through life. Whether it be an energy source, a supreme being, love, other peoples life experience and advice...

I have enjoyed all I've read and I have also enjoyed listening to what other people believe what it is that gets them through this life. I love listening to my mum and her friends when they talk about what they believe in. They have so much enthusiasm and joy in what they believe in and when they discover something new they share this knowledge between them (and whoever else will listen). In turn the joy in each discovery is shared.

This is what I believe is very important in living our lives. Sharing. Sharing our knowledge, our joys, our love...but we should also be able to share the sadness and sorrow. How can we find solutions or help if we keep it all to ourselves? Someone else out there will have at some point also suffered what we have suffered and they will have gotten through it and possibly like to help out by sharing this knowledge.

I also like to believe that there is someone out there looking after us. I believe in God and my image of him is of a father figure. Someone who is looking after me, someone who sees when things are going well and is happy for me and when things aren't going so well will wrap his arms around me and show me love and remind me that I'm not alone. When I do something not so nice then I know that he saw that and I feel like I've just had a spiritual slap and a telling off. :)

I also cherish the value of solitude. When I get home from college or placement I close the door to my room and I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. It's a time when I can relax and recharge my batteries.

When I first moved to London I felt myself being drawn into a feeling of crisis. I was being bombarded on all sides by sensation overload...sounds, sights, smells....24 hours a day and no apparent respite. It became obvious that this was becoming an issue. So I discovered when I got home by switching off my mobile, disconnecting my landline and lying down in my room really helped. Still a little noisy as I live in a fairly rowdy area but it was a start. It also helped to maintain a diary - documenting how I was feeling and what I was thinking sometimes.

But some of my greatest joys have been my family and my motorbike. :) The support that I have received from them has been priceless. The older I get the more I have learned how much I need and love them. As for my motorbike...well, when I get on the back and start her up it's like someone has taken my worries and stresses away and all I can think of is the road ahead....lol...