This picture shows hope…..you may not realise that given that it or something exactly like it has probably appeared in the pads of virtually every snow-bound padder over the last few weeks or even last year or the year before or before that so it’s hardly original but it’s symbolic.

I’ve been back to Uni today for the first time for three weeks. Something strange and I’m claiming rather wonderful has occurred in the time I’ve been off. I am, by nature, a complete worry-guts. I can still remember vividly the painful lead up to the end of school holidays, waking up at night for weeks before my return date in a cold sweat worrying about what lay ahead in the new term. In the short holidays like Christmas, I’d barely get over the exhilaration of the start of the break before worrying about going back. This continued when I was working and my holidays were always marred by days of worrying about what would happen when I got back to my desk. You know the sort of thing – what might a flagitious colleague have done to make my world more difficult or problematic?

So, when this time I found myself with a knot of excitement at the pit of my stomach, rather than terror, it represented a major change in my world. In fact, the only worry I had was whether the snow and ice would allow me out of our village, off the moor and into the city to start my classes.

This footprint isn’t remarkable other than you can see beyond the snow to the pavement below. It’s melting…..though not for long, we have more heavy snow forecast for tomorrow but that’s another day! I stepped out into the snow and have fulfilled another day of my dream. I’ve been to Uni. Yes, me, little old me, the not-very-clever one. I’m taking bold steps towards something that’s been burning inside me for a long time.

I learn stuff every day in my new world that thrills and excites me. Today it’s been mad stuff about how our cells’ respiration works. I’m not sure I “get” it all but equally I know that what I do “get” is precious.

In my circle of friends, there is another trying to take bold steps to a better world…….think of this as a symbolic first step……do it with me and then take the second on your own. You CAN do it, you are brave and bold enough.

Last year, I was partying with a three-year-old!.....and back in 2004 I participated in what was probably the first ever pad challenge although we didn't know it at the time.