I haven’t written for a few days as I was at a conference where I was unable to get internet access (me not having a Smartphone and all!). During one  of the seminars we were asked to write down our roles and circle them, starting with the central ones and moving outwards. It didn’t take me long to both notice and complain about the fact that all my roles were about other people and where exactly was my life? Never one to do things quietly, a lady on the row in front of me heard what I said. “Let that give you strength,” she replied, “that you are of help to so many people. And value the roles that you have right now because you will not always have them.”

She talked of her elderly mother with Parkinson’s, who, all things being equal, will of course pass before she does and that will be the end of her role as both daughter and carer. It made me realise that yes I will always be a mother, but not always in the way that I am now, nor wife, daughter, sister, teacher etc. Yes, I do need to do more activities just for me and just for fun, but I also need to value and be thankful for the roles I have right now, for they can change or go so quickly.