International Women's (deaf girly) Day

Life is one big learning curve, isn’t it?

I certainly rarely get it right; bumbling my way through life, a ball of emotions, clumsily bouncing along this rocky path I’ve chosen.

But while this path is sometimes rocky, it’s also good to stop every now and again for a breather and admire the beautiful view stretched out ahead of me. The view I have climbed endlessly up hill for. The view that is mine and mine alone. The view that, as long as I do my best, should technically only get better.

Of course, as with any view – perfect or otherwise, there is always something blighting it. Growing up in the Wild West erm… Country, I was surrounded by amazing views as far as the Black Mountains over the River Severn. In-between was a considerable amount of hideous sights that, if focused on, could definitely ruin the view. Factories belching smoke, traffic carving a path on bypasses where green fields once lay in the sunshine.

But it’s not those things I remember. It’s the cloudless sky, the grass blowing in the wind, the herd of cows in the distance, the buzzards soaring on the breeze, and the skylarks dipping and diving from their grassy nests. That is what I remember from that view.

And no matter what is blighting my view right now, I need to focus on the amazing things on the horizon. The tales of love, romance, success and courage that touch my life every day. The people whose paths cross mine for amazing reasons, and the people who are sent to challenge me to be a better, stronger, more resilient person.

I know the person who I want to be. I am not her most days. While I have the right balance of impulsiveness and caution, it’s about using them at the right times, and that is what takes the practice.

Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s International Women’s Day today that’s got me thinking about me and my place in the big wide world. It’s a day that celebrates women but that also looks at inspirational women in the world. OK, so I’m not after worldwide recognition, but isn’t it better to inspire than hinder, encourage than discourage, praise than criticise and love than hate?

Corny that may be but ultimately it’s true.

I think that recently I’ve become so lost on my rocky path that I’d forgotten the characteristics that made me, me. So much so, that this blog suffered as a result. OK, there was the odd post about how I’d superglued my hand to my chopping board, but nothing from the heart anymore.

Well peeps, I’m back. Starting from today, I'm going to be the fearless, compassionate deaf girly I know I can be. Won’t you join me please?