Gratitude

At the beginning of this year, I did not imagine that I would be packing up my life in the UK to move back to South Africa. My plans were, instead, to continue teaching creative writing, getting more freelance work in. I did not foresee that just four months into the year, everything would be changed, and so dramatically too. Even then, when it all happened, I still considered my options in the UK.

I began 2007 with the conviction that I was going to make my life more positive, that I was going to create value. Well, the universe certainly ensured that, though not quite in the way I had anticipated.

I woke up this morning with a very profound sense of gratitude for my life and for everything that has happened to bring me here, to bring me home. I am grateful to everyone and everything that has happened to bring me here. More than that, since all this happened, so many people extended themselves to help me first of all to make this move, and then, when I got here, to make this transition in SA as smooth as possible.

So, I would like to thank the following people from the deepest part of my life:

Daddy, for continuing to teach me the value of life, even in his passing

Martin, for making me redundant and giving me a severance package, which he didn’t have to, that allowed me to buy my ticket

Kate, for being brave enough to end our relationship and give me my freedom

Lin, Lizzie and Sharon for giving me a home, even for a brief time, for the meals you cooked for me and the support and encouragement you lent me

Simon H, Jen and May for sharing their wisdom with me on 4th May and helping to realize my own potential

Sharon for showing me a new way to love and for the best 6 weeks of the year so far

Simon W, Julie, Erika and Mark for your love, friendship and support through a difficult period of my life

Sherine, Greg and Liam for giving me a home and too many other things that I cannot even begin to count

Chris and Liz C for your support via email

All my friends in SA: Joe, Dori and Justin, Tracy and Jane, Gav, Kerry, Timmee, Dimmy, Lisa and Linsay. Thank you for the dinners, the phone calls, the support, the work you’ve sent my way

Peterborough District of SGI for your support and Daimoku and The Great Lions District in Johannesburg for the opportunity to advance my life and develop my potential

And to my blog friends: (asterisk)*, Red, Karen, Healing Room and anyone else for your encouragement and comments

Thank you.