Nojomo 3 in Nojomo 2014

So - who do I admire? Holy Crap! I really don’t know the answer to this. Can they be living or dead? Can they be both?

My mum was an amazing woman. There aren’t enough words to explain her but i have a story that i love. Remember that my mum was a Quaker and didn’t like swearing. She had been into town and a young lad had called her a ‘fucking old cow’. I was at home when she got back and she was partly fuming and partly laughing. She said “I don’t mind being called a fucking cow, but no one calls me old!”

My nana (dad’s mum) who told me not to wish my life away. It struck a chord and I have determined to not do that. Even times that may not be as great as other times, I try to find the good in them. My nana was incredible, but she should have a whole entry of her own!

There are a lot of people who may read this for whom I hold a great deal of respect and admiration.

Several of you who have strained relationships with a parent yet still support those parents through hard times, still care and love those parents despite the Crap that has been, and still is, handed out.

I have a friend here who is taking a leap of faith, moving to a new country to start a new life. This friend deserves so much success in her life!

Another friend here who, on discovering her partner was cheating, decided to go back to college and change her career. She moved to a new city and is forever looking forward, seeing what’s around the next curve. She is so full of energy and motivation even when her health issues try to build huge barriers.

Another friend here who has the words ‘this too shall pass’ tattooed on her wrist, who uses this phrase frequently to get her through the dark stuff, the stuff that she often speaks of with wry humour. And the things that have passed shouldn’t all be allowed to happen to one person.

A friend here who has travelled the world - she’s lived in four continents, who constantly strives to help others before herself and never feels as though she’s good enough even though she truly is, more than good enough. She’s such a beautiful, strong person.

A friend who isn’t often here but does reside amongst us. Constantly trying to improve on herself, volunteering for causes close to her heart almost every weekend. Training for races, including a marathon which was cancelled at the last minute. Someone whose heart was made two sizes larger than the usual.

A friend here who carries on despite the utter upheaval caused by mother nature, the total changes to her life caused by the almost total demolition of her city.

Also the friend here who, outwardly, seems like a mild mannered, middle aged lady but her strength and her matter of fact-ness were vital for getting her through ten years of watching her son destroy himself. Her forgiveness as he came back, her acceptance of everything and everyone.

If you didn’t recognise yourself here it could be that your natural self deprecation hadn’t allowed you to, of course I haven’t mentioned everyone but I wouldn’t read you if I didn’t admire or respect (although my phone, amusingly, autocorrected that to reject!) you.

As always, I send my love to you all, and for those of you currently in need, I really wish that I could do more than send my pixelated words.