It is with enormous sadness that I have to tell readers that the island has lost one of its young people. Connor Smith was just 19 but he was tragically killed in a quad bike competition in Italy yesterday. Connor was well loved on the island and his very close family will be devastated. He leaves behind a younger sister who is just 16. If you didn't know Conner you knew his sister or his parents or his grandparents so we are all, once again, mourning a life lost. Connor's tragic death touches us through Harry and his cousin Pete who were both very good friends will him. My mother is also very good friends with his grandparents. This little island has barely got over saying goodbye to 'Pops' and now this. Tributes to Connor are pouring into his facebook page and this is testament to just how much he was loved and respected. My heart goes out to his family at this time.
It has been a tough year for you guys too as I share yet another, very sad, death. It once again shows the integrity of this project though as you follow the ups and the downs. This will be mirroring some of your lives as well and serves to remind us to make the very most of the good times. It is another tough time for Harry and he has a lot to face this year. I can see him growing through it all but you just wish your children didn't have to go through such sadness. One of my best friends was killed when we were just 17 and that day has stayed with me my whole life. The fragility of life is one of the hardest aspects of living but there is nothing we can do about. So the islanders go about their business but another haunting sadness has drifted in on the wind and will stay with us for some time.
I can only ever keep busy as that is how I cope so today has been a very busy day. In school we are studying anatomical structures and comparing and contrasting skeletons. We use an online visual dictionary a lot in school and it is such a powerful resource. The boys had a go at drawing the skeletons of both birds and humans and were amazed at some of the similarities. We have already studied how birds fly and looked at different bird flight patterns. I think we could clearly see why we don't have the capacity to fly from our skeletal structure and density. We have done so much natural history in home school; far more than the average school curriculum and the children have all been fascinated. Pete and I continue to learn alongside them which is just how it should be. I am a perpetual student and in 2012 I completed year one of a Buddhist dharma course with Samye Ling. I took 2013 out so that I could establish some sort of future in writing but now I must decide if I can do the second and final year in 2014. I gained so much from my dharma studies and I grew as a human being so I would like to do the second year. In one sense it comes down to time and in another it doesn't. Studying the Buddhist dharma is a deeply contemplative experience and has its own therapeutic mandate but I do need to make enough time to do it properly. It is one of the most challenging courses I have ever studied so it takes up more time than it probably should. I shall just mull it over for a few weeks before making a decision.
We have always taught our children that learning is life long. Molly was at Nottingham Trent university on Saturday for their postgraduate open day. She is now even more determined to try for a place on their MSc course in endangered species. She may have to take a year out to earn some money but we shall have to see what other options present themselves. If she took a year out to earn money she could also fit in an internship which would be extended voluntary work in the field she wants to work in. Molly will do what Molly does. She will apply far and wide and see what her options are. She will also be first to get her applications in as that is her life long strategy in operation; early bird catches the worm.
Meantime Harry and I are about to delve into a level 3 diploma in Sports Nutrition. This will test me a bit as it is not one of my subjects. Harry will leave me behind in the first module but I will do my best to keep up and support him.
Today was candle making so the house smells of Christmas essential oils. I use my own very secret recipe that has always ensured that With Love from Arran sells extremely well in the run up to Christmas. I made some jar candles and my signature vintage tea cup candles but I also made my first batch of natural fire starters. These are always my biggest seller and I have an extra twist planned for this year. It is a start towards my Christmas collection but only a very small one with lots more making ahead of me.
I am pleased that I am getting good responses to my calls from One soul many hearts featured in yesterdays post and on facebook. Because One soul many hearts will not be updated daily I am using its facebook page to keep everyone in touch. I notice that I have far more readers of the blog than I do the facebook page so if you haven't started following that page yet it might be an idea to pop over and hit the 'like' button. That way you can keep up with developments on a daily basis. I am delighted to have two young people volunteering some of their time to help with the newsletter and social networking tasks. They probably know far more than me so this will be good for me. Between us we will try and keep One soul many hearts in people's minds as much as possible.
Time to go and make some more candles and I have lit one today in memory of Connor. It is all I can do.
Until tomorrow. xx
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