It's all about me! Or is it about who I meet?

I am struggling with my passions today. I want to get to Wellingara School near Lamin, The Gambia, a project I try to support on my holidays. I feel a need to book up a flight. But also I'd like to get to Watamu, Kenya to review from my last visit how life has changed for the locals. Not forgetting the me time, to scuba in Turtle Bay and view sharks ahead of me, turtles and colourful coral against the gin clear waters of the Indian Ocean. To visit Malindi and the aids torn town known as Jack City, the oldest person when I visited was just fourteen. Everyone else had died. Amongst a backdrop of beauty, a host of dark secrets not seen by your average tourist. But then, I am by no means average. So why am I here blogging today? To reflect, just that.

Going through a mill full of problems at the moment, not regarding work. But external pursuits that are affecting me after the 9 to 5 day. So I question a few things and reflect on some past history, ever the pragmatist. So should a blog be about me, or can it be how I'm thinking today? Today, it's me thinking.

Which brings me to Action Kenya (search the web to find them). A wonderful couple, an ex-fireman and his wife we met back in 2004 in Watamu, Kenya. Our friends were getting married on this holiday. Allan, the fireman was engaging and the couple full of humour. We had a great time visiting a village and Timboni Mills. An excellent learning adventure where we learned milling corn at 3 Schillings a bag, one for profit, one for maintenance, one for saving toward a school. The water tower beside it saving a long walk and considerable expense of obtaining drinkable water elsewhere. Today with more than one mill, a school, physio for disability, lodgings and other projects assisting a community to ultimately make developments for themselves. A real holistic approach to strengthening a villages health, safety and welfare, everbody can be involved and eventually support will be as near as damn it, self sufficient. So then what? On to the next village? Well it looks great on paper and to see this working effectively from what originally you would say was just a vacation. Now with a Fire Engine too, what a success for the Watamu and not only one, but surrounding villages. My thoughts today are for friends first met back in 1995 in The Gambia and friends met in Kenya. Not to mention the colleagues from ABN Amro (my family for 15 years), what a great life I've had so far. From beauty I've seen evil and in paradise I've seen life and death. From the concrete jungle of Bishopsgate to the forests of Africa, I've learned so much from so many people, I can only thank them for the good and the evil. It has shaped me! Poignant stuff eh!

Doesn't it put into perspective what we can do for others, what we do for ourselves, how we live our lives! A blog today, a simple reflection of pride in knowing personally people from the village, knowing the english couple who started this and where I got my interest in fire safety from prompting my fire management training. Now you know why I consider myself competent to write fire risk assessments.

Who you meet affects your life. How you interpret their personality and actions influence how you behave. Your perception of others can be decided by the vibe you get from others around you. So think something positive about those around you and milk all their best bits for your personal gain. Say what is right about that person to their face, miss out stating their faults and avoid the fall out from those faults (they can rub off easily). Say positive, receive positive back. Doesn't that ultimately deliver a win/win situation! What ever your trouble, there is worse for someone else around the corner.