8th April - Day 29 - Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind, it's gonna be a bright, bright sun shining day

This week, I’ve been setting myself the extra challenge of using the battery less and pedalling harder so that I get to feel a bit fitter (I don’t - even after 855 miles!) and try to cut down the travelling time.

This addition to the challenge is certainly much easier when the sun is shining as it was when I set off this morning and stopped on the way to take the picture of the river. I could yet again see the dark clouds in the distance (as often is the case) but returning to my optimistic self, opened my eyes to what is around me and decided I have lots of bright sun shining in my life. Even the darkness of the clouds against the blue sky was dramatic and inspiring itself and with the sun sparking on the river, the Mayo Angelou quote seemed very fitting.

Living without pretence is a great message to us all. One of the refreshing aspects of the restrictions has been seeing people with interesting hairstyles, outfits and natural faces (if my hair isn’t cut soon though I have to warn you that I might not fit my cycle helmet on!) and let’s hope some of the pressures on people will change because of this experience. The sense of seeing people as they really are obviously means much more though than just superficial appearances. Being in harmony with yourself is a far more significant achievement. We can be ourselves.

Like the river, we can then help to create the landscape around us, rather than be influenced by it.

“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretence and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself.” Maya Angelou