It is 5.30am and I am sitting on the balcony of my posh hotel watching the world come to life. It is too early, but almost 6 years of working too far from home has built a habit of early rising. There is a hill in front of me covered in trees and almost black, but the major part of my view is a plain that stretches away into the far horizon. There are villages dotted across it but very few, and their street lights in the vastness makes them look like ships at sea. The sky shifts from greys to violets to a faint blue in parts. It is cold. There are birds singing, many of them and a range of songs – but no other sound. It is peaceful and beautiful and the day is laden with possibilities.
As is tomorrow, and the next day, assuming we survive what each 24 hours brings. I have worked since I was 16 years old. I never expected to be where I am now. I never planned this route or this destination. I did decide what I would have achieved by 40 when I was 30, and ticked those boxes 10 years later. But, for the most part, from a career perspective at least, I just looked up to see what the next thing was, where was the top job and how did you get there?
Along the way I have been blessed with a wonderful family and I have met some amazing people. Some are still great friends. A small number of people have changed my life. Some of them know it, most of them don’t. I’m grateful to them all.
That said, I am not content. There are so many things more to do. So many more people to meet and other people who will change my life and maybe me theirs. Let’s see what today brings.
peteryder2003 