As so often happens when something nudges our mind, we reflect on past events. I have recently been speaking with someone who has been skiing, and clearly they had a great time, judging by their gushing enthusiasm.

I have not planned to go skiing this year; I have much going on in a variety of areas of my life, so I had not given it much thought. There is still time, if it rises up my agenda and I get to a point when I feel a trip to the snow would be enjoyable enough to prioritise the time.

The conversation, and thought of the snow, did make me have a look back at some of the pictures I took whilst away around this time last year. It reminded me that out of the seven days I was away, six were under grey skies. It snowed heavily, cocooning the whole valley with low skies, snow, muffled sounds and no sunshine. It did have an enchanting feeling, which I can remember so clearly, as I sit and write. On just one day the sun shone, a crystal clear blue sky stretched high above, a significant drop in temperature, crisp snow under ski, causing the ‘hiss and rattle’ I recognise as a cross country skier when it is icy, and a glorious day of fine skiing.

At the end of this day I took a long walk up the valley, as the sun was setting. Whilst the picture makes it look as if the valley was reasonable light, it was too dark to safely ski. As I walked, I took a few pictures, even though the sun was no longer lighting the valley, it was certainly busy creating an amazing light show in the mountains. This picture has also struck me in a different way, it looks almost like fire – and my thoughts instantly went to the people of Australia, who have been suffering with the horrifying devastation of real fire. Heat versus cold. Dry when this valley is full of snow. The powerful contrasts of nature.

I am sure you have pictures, which instantly trigger memories. Our incredible minds will travel back to past times; the glimpse of a picture taken many years ago resurfacing thoughts that may have lain dormant for decades. Times so often shared with others – who may no longer be with us. Or, to remind us of the phrase, may have been part of our lives ‘for a reason, a season or a lifetime’.

So, with the nudge from the last paragraph, as we look forward into a new year, a new decade, what are you planning and aiming to achieve? And what, perhaps from the past two decades of this century have you to reflect on? Are there any photographic memories that can give you a real plunge into your past that have importance for the present and the future?

If you were about at the turn of the millennium, do you remember the brightly burning beacons that were lit on Millennium Eve? I do.

And what promises did you make to yourself back then….and are you honouring your promises, perhaps they need to change, or did they just melt away with the thawing snow?

Do get in touch if you think I can help you gain real focus.

My best wishes,

Peter