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Published: October 16th 2008
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One of the most important things I've learnt as I've gotten older is how important it is not to take anything in life for granted. In my work everyday, I see people of all ages who (for whatever reason) are unable to do the things that really matter to them. Sometimes it can be something 'big', like being able to travel the world or speak after a brain injury, but more often it is something 'small', like being able to make a cup of tea independently or walk up a flight of stairs safely. It's hard to describe the impact 'not being able to do something' has on one's sense of self. As an Occupational Therapist I spend my profesional life trying to support, enable and empower individuals to find ways to engage in the tasks that matter most to them, the occupations that give meaning to their lives.
It's very humbling to realise how amazing we humans are, how much we're capable of, and yet most of the time we don't give it alot of thought. But every now and again, mostly through the work I do, I get to glimpse how incredibly fortunate I've been in my life
so far to be healthy, to have been born into circumstance that has offered me freedom and opportunity and the choice to pursue what I wished. In my work, my life, the world in general, I see that many others do not share my similar fortune. And I realise too that its fleeting...all may not always be as it is now. And so I try as hard as I can not to let my life just idle along, not to take things for granted. Because I'm here now. And every moment counts.
Once upon a time, Adam and I lived 10 minutes away from Luke and Maria. For several years the boys actually lived together whilst studying at Uni. In those times, the four of us spent lots of time together, simply going about our everyday, mundane tasks. Simultaneously though, we never spent any 'real' time together at all as there was never any need to. We 'saw' eachother all the time after all. It was only in the months leading up to Luke and Maria moving to Sweden that we suddenly realised how much we took for granted simply knowing they were only ten minutes away. Since we
ourselves moved to England, this feeling has been magnified, not only with regard to Luke and Maria, but with everyone else too.
On this side of the world, we live in a different country to Luke and Maria. Yet catching up with these guys is one of the best, most wonderful things about being here. We recently met up for a few days in Dublin. Truthfully looking back, I'm not sure what we really did with all our time whilst in the Irish capital. We definitely visited the Guinness Factory which was great. And we wandered around Dublin Zoo for a few hours, though I couldn't tell you how many animals we saw or what I liked best there. What I do remember though is stepping into our first Irish pub with Liam in tow and watching him be fascinated by the glass of Guiness his dad was drinking, trying to reach out to touch its shiny surface. And the laughing he did as Maria ran her hand down his plastic pram cover that made a squelching sound as we walked around in the rain. And Adam and Luke teasing eachother as they are prone to do. And Maria
and I drinking white wine out of tumblers whilst eating chocolate cake in bed. And all of us in pj's at 7pm dining on a feast of takeaway Indian, attempting to chop up meat with plastic spoons. For me, our time together was a blur of laughter and smiles, talking and walking, and watching our little nephew just be. Yet of all the adventures we've had on this side, this is one of my favourites. Not because we saw wonderful sites or did exciting things. Simply because we were together.
It's reflecting on times like this that I realise I've learnt something else important. I've learnt the time we spend together...the memories we create with our family and friends..these are the ties that bind us. That we carry with us. And so I try my very hardest not to take these times in my life for granted because for me, it's these times I spend with the people I love that gives the meaning to my life.
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