Change Ready or Not

Life is funny or should I say some people in life are funny.  Something happened a while ago that I want to share with you and it relates to the faces that some people present to us.   http://www.rgbstock.com/ I spent the best part of two days with  two other people tasked to review candidates that had applied for a post. We used candidates CVs and an informal interview to help us to make effective recommendations to a voluntary board. Prior to meeting them we  looked at their CV's, noting points or anomalies that we wanted to look at further. When the candidates attended, along with all the usual welcomes, we made our role  and  purpose clear.  This meeting offered us an i deal opportunity to get to know them a little better and for them to ask us questions that would help them to gain more clarity about the role.   We  also asked them to think carefully about the time commitment involved in the role. If for any reason,  after...

In my career I have had moments when it has been as clear as day that a barrier has been erected and a wall is firmly in place.  But you see when I was growing up I was what was called a ‘tomboy’ so I kind of knuckle down, put trousers on and got climbing. Now don't get me wrong. I’m like anyone else when confronted with something.  I stop or stumbled.  Yes I will admit I've cried with frustration (just not doing it in front of you if I can help it!), I have stared in disbelief with my mouth open (catching flies), I have had that puzzled look on my face like that character played by Gary Coleman in the American TV sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. His catchphrase was "whatchu Talkin bout Willis? His  expression was priceless. I have seethed inwardly and when in my car screamed out loud cussing invisible people.  I have even turned the music up too loudly so that no one can hear me screaming profanities at the top of my lungs. Yep I w...

I hear you  when you say" things ain't good " and then there's a long pause.  I hear you. When I look at your face and I see that despite the make up under your eyes look swollen. I see you. Although you are looking AT me I recognise that  familiar  far off gaze shadowing your eyes (breathe now).   I feel you.  When I  see your lips slightly quiver as you speak and there's a rush of words tripping over themselves to escapes your lips (exhale now). Nuff said.  I  intuitively  hear that breath hurriedly forcing itself to escape the back of your throat (exhale now).  I feel the depth of emotions drip like tear drops between us . Drip, drop, pop! At this moment our spirits collide greeting each other with the  familiar "oh hi we back here again"  and yet rushing past each other so as not to linger for fear of recognition. I feel the unspoken fear that says if I speak too loud the emotio...

  Today in the Metro national free newspaper the article "Sex at 13 'is normal' jumped out at me.  http://metro.co.uk/2014/11/04/campaigners-claim-schools-are-teaching-pupils-that-13-is-a-normal-age-for-sex-4935232/   The article refers to campaigners who claimed school pupils are being taught that sex at the age of 13 is normal and that by signposting children to such services may act as 'unlawful' guidance. The debate will rage on for some time and it seems like we preach one thing and teach another. The reality is that we are so far behind in schools that the real question is how do we keep up?  I started to write my blog earlier this week about a conversation that my 13 year old daughter brought to my attention. I put it aside thinking I would come back to it at a later date. It seems today is just that day.  Years ago I ran a workshop sessions with a group of 20 young men aged between 16-20 on “What is the difference between love and romance?  The...

Those of us who use Facebook realise that it allows us to share and receive information from across the globe. Some of this can be uplifting whilst others can be upsetting.   I read a story about someone that had taken their own life.  The following is what I wrote in response to that story " We  are not encouraged enough to show when we are crumbling. When we are vulnerable and need help. Sometimes we wait until we 'fix up ' before we share not knowing that is in the sharing we are healed. I've been to that place where contemplating taking my life seemed an 'easy' way out. But I'm here stronger for coming through those times. I'm learning to be more accepting of me and where I am in life. Sometimes all I needed was someone to listen. Why does that seem so hard to find? I didn't need you to fix it although I thought you might. But I learnt that people who truly listen are few and far between. I needed someone to really listen as my soul crie...