Death comes to us all. In the last 3 years, I have lost 3 cats and 1 friend to the Reaper’s vengeful grip. In fact, it was only a month ago today that my little Louis passed away. Time may have gone by, but it still hurts me just as much to recollect.

Spurred on by the pain, today, I made two major decisions.

1) To get my old Canon photo printer up and running again and print off some precious memories of 2018 (including one of Louis, obviously. Even though every time I see it on the door it makes me well up)

and…

2) To book my first solo trip of 2019! (think Las Vegas, but nowhere near the US…)

For every good and bad experience of the last year, I learned some very important things. For example, you can’t always know what’s around the corner (if last month was anything to go by, that’s certainly true) you’ve got to live while you can (because time is precious, and unlike money, you can’t earn it back) you should always show respect to others and value those who display true kindness (they need it more than the moody buggers, I assure you) and lastly, to be independent (as much as happiness is grown from the planted seeds of friendship, you cannot guarantee that people will always be around.) At the end of the day, this life is your own. The journey you take is mapped out by your chosen footsteps, and even if some unexpected events happen along the way, ultimately, you are still in control of your own destiny.

In the words of the great singer, Anastacia, “Feeling sorry for yourself ain’t got nobody nowhere!” Which, if we wander through the abundance of double-negatives, loosely translates as, “Pick yourself up when you’ve been kicked down because for life to happen, you’ve got to make it.”

And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Shoot me down all you like, crazy life events. I’m walking this world smiling!

(But also drinking many teas, listening to heavy metal and travelling up some very, very tall buildings…hint-hint!)