4th May - Day 46 - “When it rains look for rainbows, when it's dark look for stars” ― Oscar Wilde

I left you on Friday unsure whether I was going to cycle to Sheffield yesterday so that I could complete a third of the challenge by the end of this week. I’m sure that anyone who spent even a moment outside yesterday will not be surprised, however, that it will be next Monday before I have completed 50 days!

This morning, I had a phone call from my Dad at 7am worrying about me cycling - with the wind as strong as it was. I reassured him, put on my waterproof trousers and set off in to a very blustery and wet morning. I did intend to stop to take some pictures but decided that my bike could well blow over and my feet were already frozen - so I kept going. The result of this, is that I have included a photograph I took at the weekend instead.

As Sunday marked the first anniversary of my Mum’s death, the Wilde quote and the rainbow seemed appropriate. It has for many people been a very dark and unsettled year and this time last year, with a number of changes that felt like significant losses in my life, the world to me did feel very bleak. I didn’t believe any of my friends who told me that something good would come out of a difficult year (in fact you can imagine what my response would have been at the time!) but like the rainbow in the storm, it did and this has been both one of the worse and also one of the best 12 months of my life.

I have been privileged to be able to take up the Director post at St Wilfrid’s with the opportunity of really making a difference and becoming part of a fantastic community. I have felt that I have been able to do what Mum asked me - to look after Dad. I also I know that she would have been so happy that I met someone like Jeff and we have been able to share each other’s lives.

The stars and rainbows do light up the darkness and the money raised through this challenge and my determination to keep going on mornings like this, will mean, I hope, that we can bring some light or at least some calm and shelter in to turbulent and stormy lives.