Looking back

Today's photo is of my garden pond. An unspectacular, colourful and pretty shot just taken with my phone. But the key word here is "my". I spent just an hour or so at the house, to pick up post and one or two bits and pieces, but with so much time now staying at the family home in Cheltenham. I've spent so little time here this year, that when I do steal an hour or two, I do feel sad and reflective. I liked this house. I liked the garden. And I liked this little pond. And within a few days, it will no longer be mine, and will be consigned permanently to my past.

Today was definitely a day for looking back - it's also 7/7 and five years since I lost a friend to the London bombs. Not a really close friend, but a lovely person with the most optimistic outlook and great plans for the future, who didn't deserve to be innocently caught up in a horrendous incident.

But I'm not a great one for looking back. I may have done today, for a couple of understandable separate reasons, but I ended up doing what I believe one should always do on these occasions. Take whatever fond memories you can, accept that sad memories are OK but regrets achieve nothing, and then look forward again. Make the most of life. And that's exactly what I'm doing.