What a year it’s been. Most days it has felt like a roller coaster ride on the edge of a precipice. Work can do that to you sometimes – make you feel overwhelmed and out of your depth. And with this island being so small, there’s a dearth of places that you can run away to. But it wasn’t running away that I needed to do. It was more like finding myself again. All the stress and craziness had changed a part of me that I couldn’t quite define. But I could feel it and so could those around me. I felt like there were little mice {on speed} on a wheel in my head and they kept it turning and turning until I seemed to be constantly running to a destination I could not reach. I had no patience for anything – not even for the things I loved. 
But finally the mice are still (or maybe they’ve died) and, over the holidays and nine blissful days away from work, I am back to being me. I am able to blog. Thanks to my own personal Santa and his mischievous little helper elf, I have a small pile of books to read. And, perhaps most importantly, I am back to wandering with my faithful camera and the added challenge to shoot on manual. It will take practice. But I think I will get there. It has been something I’ve been wanting to learn for a long time. 
As you’ve probably already heard me say, I do not make new year’s resolutions. But I think that this year I will make just one. I work in an industry where, even if you’ve been doing your job perfectly, you may still wake up one morning and be given your marching orders. So when the working day is over and I walk out of the office door, I plan to leave it all behind. It will still be there in the morning anyway. And if it’s not, it’s not worth worrying over. 
You all know that I rarely write about personal life, preferring to focus on the ethereal and the imaginary. Well, I think it’s time to break the rules a bit. 
I look forward to joining you all on whatever adventures 2015 decides to take you. Through your friendship and your wonderful words and images I can visit Provence, Vietnam, Spain, Versailles, Brussels and so many other places without even leaving my seat and I am all the richer for it. 
I would like to wish you all a wonderful 2015. May you all achieve whatever your hearts are secretly yearning for.
Locations: Mtarfa, Dingli Cliffs and Ghar Lapsi ~ December 2014
When I was still working I had this feeling sometimes too ! Now life is rather relax and blogging became a hobby to fill my days and make me go out to look for inspirations and photos !
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year !
Dear Loree - so glad you found yourself again and also time to relax. Your photos are beautiful as always and your words touch my heart. Have a blessed New Year. Looking forward to my visits here to your Island and your world in the coming year. Hugs
ReplyDeleteLoree, I'm so pleased to hear that you are able to relax again. It is so stressful not to have time to smell the roses. Wishing you a very Happy New Year! May 2015 unfold at a better pace for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad things are settling down and you're feeling more like yourself. Taking time to wander with your camera sounds like a great idea! I love the light streaming down through the clouds in the second one.
ReplyDelete