Sharing blessings

Snow Bunting at Titchwell

When I made the decision that I was finally ready to date again, after suffering the devastation of a relationship break up that all but broke me as person, I was in my late forties and to be honest was scared to death. When I had last dated the t'interweb and its plethora of sites for the purpose of, was in its infancy and was a far friendlier and more intimate place than now. On first dangling my toes in the water of such sites I discovered that many read 'late 40s' as meaning 'desperate' and 'ready to consider anything', neither of which applied to me, as was soon made clear to those with such uneducated thoughts!

What I lacked in recent experience though was made up by the fact that I knew exactly what I was looking for in a partner and wasn't prepared to compromise. Late forties meant that I had lived enough life and made enough mistakes to not settle for second, third or fourth best. Confidence in your own qualities and abilities is a powerful thing, as is the knowledge that you're happy enough on your own but that it would be nice to share once again, provided the strict criteria for doing so, was met.

Eventually I met Aiden and being honest, it became clear within days of our first date that he was someone who was going to become very special to me. Just how special and how lucky I am to have met him has become something that I have been reflecting upon in the last few weeks. Not for any other reason than we have shared some exquisite moments in those weeks.

Seal at Blakeney Point

As regular readers will know I have a deep love for the natural world, the bounties of nature and the beauty of this planet, country and town that we live in. To meet someone who shares and matches if not exceeds that love, who wants to do and share the same things that I do without any question whatsoever, is a lucky thing indeed.

In the last month I have seen and experienced  things I've never seen or experienced before. At every step and for every moment holding my hand and feeling the same as I did, was Aiden. We watched seals in Norfolk and saw otters playing at Leighton Moss and then on Sunday we witnessed a murmuration of starlings at Middleton Lakes. In between we did our usual bird watching at Sandwell Valley and further afield, made cider and have walked and walked. If I said that I valued every second of sharing a love for the wonders of nature with a wonderful man would you believe me? Well you should because I did. He is one of the reasons that all of this is so very special. And I wouldn't want to experience these things with anyone else. The shared peace and tranquility cannot be described. At one with each other and at one with the world.

I am well blessed and I know it.

Sunset at Middleton Lakes