Dear Newsletter Readers,
Welcome to yet another weekly edition of our long running newsletter; for those of you out there that have been receiving and reading it every week since our first newsletter went out back in 2009, I would like to say a big thank you for your patronage and I hope that you continue on receiving and reading it.
I’m back to trying to write a bit of poetry and this week my offering is about going out into the world to try to find yourself (if you’re a bit lost) and also challenge yourself by taking one or two risks that might just create one or two life changing opportunities for you. Until next week I hope you enjoy the poem and keep safe.
Reflecting on the beginning to appreciate the middle and justify the end
He left the UK at 26 with nothing more than the means to travel and a rucksack on his back.
Accompanied by his brother who’d decided to put his career on hold to go and seek adventure off the beaten track.
They left on a cool October morning with a feeling they would never return to settle in the place of their birth.
Their yearly visits home were eagerly anticipated by their parents who were then both still living on this earth.
They travelled on no further than the country from which they first disembarked.
Because it was here that the idea to begin a business was sparked.
Running short of funds they cashed in their return tickets to the UK.
Then they set about finding work that would pay them enough money to allow them to stay.
Within a short space of time employment came their way.
They both secured jobs teaching English with reasonable monthly pay.
They gained as much experience as they could knowing that they would go into business for themselves one day.
That day eventually arrived and the rest is history as they say.
They threw caution to wind and dove head long in not knowing what to expect.
They were unaware that nothing where they were living is gained from being too direct.
They made a lot of sacrifices that not many would be willing to make.
They took a lot of chances that only the determined are hardened enough to take.
There were times in those early years when they thought about kicking things into touch.
They thought about all the hard work they’d put in and why their sales figures didn’t add up to very much.
They realized that without local help they would never achieve their aim.
In time they took on an extra pair of hands and that’s when the turning point came.
As time went by and staff moved on they never lost sight of their aim.
Remaining true to themselves and faithful to those around them they always fairly played the game.
They were terribly unskilled at making enemies, but they had a natural gift for making friends.
Without reflecting on their beginning we cannot begin to appreciate their middle nor justify their end.
A poem by Stephen Austwick.