Planning a Positive Future

Suddenly it's Sunday, and I fly out tomorrow.

I feel as if my life has been in suspended animation for at least the past three weeks, if not the whole two months. I have been such a lazy b*gger, apart from writing, and reading and writing, and planning and writing. 

I've not been for long walks on the beach or along the lanes, and I didn't share the taxi with some of the other guests for the annual festival of elephants in Thrissur on Friday.

 - Will I regret that all my life?

No, I don't think I shall have any regrets because I don't travel for festivals or monuments or scenery: I travel for people, and I have connected well. 
Especially with myself, which is what this trip has mainly been about.

Although I haven't lost a great amount of weight, my stomach has shrunk to the extent that a small plate of food now fills me up. I am returning to Lincoln with a 3-month supply of pills and the doctor's instructions to go for walks, avoid dairy products and sugar, and limit my intake of starches. Doctor expects me to continue with a steady loss of excess weight for at least 2-3 months.

The big change is between the ears. I have always had a pretty positive attitude to life, but now it's so laid-back and contented I am almost horizontal. At the same time I am excited and full of new ideas.

I have made plans, and then made plans for plans.

I have so many Action Lists that I shall be exhausted in a month and need another holiday.

• Redecorate my Living Room - I will not continue to cringe every time I look at the Primrose Yellow walls.
• Construct a unit for my decanters - I have spent hours designing one that will be made to measure ( by me!) and both show the decanters to advantage, and make it easy to pick out the one I want.
• Make display panels for my collection of wooden spoons - I have about 200 spoons, collected on my travels in four continents, and I want to make a display of them. As with the decanters, it's taken me hours of pondering, and surfing the internet, to work out how to do the job effectively and affordably. Now I think I've cracked it and I can't wait to get going.
• Get back into a comfortable exercise routine - Nothing painful, just getting fresh air and enjoying living where I do.
• Promote and develop my professional therapy as a Reiki practitioner
• Give talks to local groups of the University of the Third Age
• Continue to deliver my Presentations Masterclass
• Support the rebranding and repositioning of the School of Channelling
• Involve myself with the Progressive Christianity Network
• and more, and more, and more . . .

No, I don't have dozens of photos of temple elephants and ceremonial trumpeters.

No, I don't yet need a complete new wardrobe . . . (it's cheaper to wear my present trousers with braces.)

No, I can't stand on one leg, nor any other of the contorted Yoga exercises that some guests here find so simple. 

Yet I can do some of the things that the doctor recommends.

• Eat vegetables, 
• Drink water, 
• Don't get stressed.

But there's the one piece of advice which they always give you in Ayurveda, which really is much too tough, and just not as simple as they make out:

"Find yourself a lady companion, Mr R.J. You are a nice man, it cannot be difficult.  You are not meant to be alone. You should enjoy a full and healthy life.

You must have some friends who can find you someone."

I have heard this every time I have done Panchakarma. Would that it were that easy to follow that wise advice!

But sharing my life would mean compromising every time I made a decision.

"No, doctor, I really am OK this way, just doing exactly what I want to do. I have just spent a couple of months coming to that conclusion, and it is a very comfortable place to be."

I shall post again in a month or two, and reflect on the ongoing effect of what has been an interesting and challenging period. My thanks to everyone who has followed this odyssey; I would have found it impossible to write without knowing people were following the story.