Welcome to Rediscover · Reconnect · Re-Emerge. If you find the fleeting changes of modern life wearisome, maybe even overwhelming, join me on a journey, a path well-trodden, as I share heartfelt and often nostalgic reflections on living slowly, simply, and in tune with the seasons.

Community, and creating a sense of community, is so important to me, and to the world. In this series, taking a particular theme, I want to share with you some of the inspirations, connections and other communities which have enriched my life, in the hope that they may do the same for you too.

I have always lingered quietly at the edges, like mist rising from a still lake, silent and watchful. Long before a word leaves my lips, I absorb, I listen, I reflect, and I watch. It is simply my way, to gather all together within me first, like a basket of freshly-picked wildflowers; to let it simmer and settle, before offering anything in return.

To some, this quiet nature has been a puzzle. In the past, it earned me names like ‘shrinking violet’, just as if the small, hidden, delicate blooms of the undergrowth were lesser than the big, bright flowers taking centre stage. Over the years, I have come to accept my way of being: slow, observant, drawn to reflection as naturally as rivers are drawn to the sea.

It’s little wonder then, that so much of my work, my writing included, is embedded both with, and in, reflection. In the quiet spaces of life, I encourage others to pause and look inward  too. Time and time again, I have seen that often, the richest growth, the kind that shapes us from within, comes not from rushing, but from slow, steady reflection.

In my other life as an instrumental music teacher, I have mentored many others on their own journeys. Those preparing for teaching diplomas were often asked to write reflections on their received teaching. The first steps were easy, to list the things their teachers did or didn’t do, but when it was time to dig deeper, when honest, emotional reflection was called for, they stumbled. It’s a vulnerable thing to dig below the surface, to sit with what we find. Yet each time we give ourselves permission to reflect with a true and open heart, something beautiful unfolds. Seeds beneath the earth burst forth, unseen at first, but growing gently towards the light.

When I look back on my own life’s journey, and reflect on those who nurtured, nourished, and shaped my creative soul, I see now that their influence was quietly profound. They came in many forms. Some stayed a season; others accompanied me for longer. But they all shared certain qualities, woven through them like a rich and varied tapestry of colours and textures.

So who were they?

They were calm and gently spoken. They created an atmosphere where every skill, every tentative attempt, was valued. They nudged me forward with quiet curiosity, with a soft encouragement, almost too silent to notice.

They believed that every human soul was creative, that everyone had the ability to create. It wasn’t just those who were outwardly gifted, but every person, even those who doubted themselves most. Their belief was a silent blessing, spoken without words: you are enough and you have something precious to offer.

They sat beside me in my uncertainty. They journeyed alongside me along dark forest paths, beside gentle streams of consciousness, and as I ascended every tiny step towards the light. They challenged me when needed, but always with patience and tenderness, never pushing, but always guiding. Their philosophy was simple, rooted in a deep trust that creativity is not a race to be run, but a way of being; a slow unfurling of the innermost self.

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Even now, I see their fingerprints not just on the way I create, but in the way I teach, and the way I live. Their patience and gentle, soft perseverance, and their quiet belief in the goodness within each person, still runs deep through my veins. It underpins my whole being, my whole philosophy on life and living.

Above all, they were present, not with noise or grandeur, but with steadfast companionship; with whatever was needed at that precise moment in time. They shaped my creative soul by giving it the space, the time, and the strength it needed, trusting that in the right season, it would blossom.

And so it did.
And so it still does.

They sowed a seed, and all these years later, that seed is still giving life and growth.

Many will never know how deep their legacy runs. They’ll never know that the tender, if a little shy, creative soul they nourished all those years ago, is still drinking from the overflowing cup of nourishment they filled.

Never underestimate the impact you have.

You may never know how many creative souls were shaped by your unwavering presence, your generosity, and your gentle, patient encouragement, but know that in the silence of the soul, there lies a deep sense of unending gratitude.

To those who shaped my creative soul, thank you.

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