Wellness Wednesday: Family & Friends!

Hi Friends.

I haven’t been on the trail this morning because I’m still writing about our trip up to Derby last Thursday through Sunday, and actually, I think that’s quite fitting for a Wellness Wednesday. Because wellness isn’t just about walking, exercise, fitness, eating well or getting your steps in. Sometimes, wellness is about the people around us. It’s about family, friendship, laughter and making memories together. Sometimes, it’s about stepping away from the usual routine, travelling several hours up the country and surprising someone who means an awful lot to you. And sometimes, wellness is simply about being surrounded by people who remind you just how blessed you are to have them in your life.

A trip to Derby with a secret…

About a week before we went to Derby, I received a message from Bridge’s daughter, Laura. She told me that she was organising an amazing surprise 70th birthday party for her mum. Then she said something that really made me smile. She said that Bridge never shuts up about me, and she thought it would be great if I could come up to Derby and surprise her. Well… how could I possibly say no to that?

So Sarah and I packed our bags and headed up to Derby, while keeping the whole thing as secret as possible. We stayed at the Derby Mickleover Hotel, which was perfect for us because it has something particularly important for Sarah: an indoor swimming pool. Sarah absolutely loves swimming, so when we’re looking at hotels, having an indoor pool can make all the difference, as our local pools are simply too crowded and impossible for us to visit. It meant that while we were away, Sarah could still get in the pool and enjoy one of the things she loves doing…And for me, the hotel became our little base while we spent a very busy few days catching up with people.

Family time

One of the lovely things about going up to Derby was getting to see my brother Paul, his girlfriend Carrie and my niece Jess. Jess is only four years old, and spending time with her was brilliant. There’s something about being around a four-year-old that reminds you that life doesn’t have to be complicated. Everything is exciting. Everything is interesting…And sometimes the simplest things produce the biggest smiles. (Oh and I also wrote her a great Birthday song of course…Coming up in the ‘Story behind the song’ series).

I also got the chance to see my sister…

Ambber had absolutely no idea we were even in Derby! So Sarah and I decided to walk into her coffee shop completely unexpectedly and surprise her. We walked in, and there we were. Surprise…We sat down and had a bacon roll, a lovely coffee and, of course, an egg custard. So discovering one was available was never going to end well for the egg custard. 😋

An American smokehouse and old friends

We also spent some really lovely time with my best mate Rob, his girlfriend Shelley and some of their children Ella, Georgia and Mighty Mike. On Thursday evening, just after Sarah and I had arrived at the hotel, they invited us back to their house for a takeaway, which was a lovely way to start the weekend and catch up properly. On Friday evening, we all went out together to an American smokehouse, enjoying some great food, plenty of laughs and even more catching up. Then on Saturday, we headed into Derby city centre together, wandering around the shops and soaking up the atmosphere before finding some beautiful pink lilies for Bridge’s birthday party that evening.

There was something really special about spending those few days together, not just at the big birthday celebration, but in all those little moments in between – sharing food, walking around the city, laughing, chatting and simply enjoying each other’s company. Those are the moments that often become some of the best memories.

And then there was Bridge…

Of course, the whole reason for the trip was Bridge’s 70th birthday. Bridge wasn’t simply someone I knew. Twenty-six years ago, when I lost my sight, Bridge was my home help. But she became so much more than that. Those were some incredibly difficult years for me. I was in a very dark place, and there were times when I was suicidal. Bridge was there during those years. She saw me when life was very different from what it is now. She saw the struggles. She saw the darkness…And she stayed, that’s why Laura’s message meant so much to me. To hear that, all these years later, Bridge still talks about me so much that her daughter thought I should be part of her 70th birthday surprise… Well, that is something pretty special.

So I wrote her a song…

Just before the last photo, I want to tell you about the moment that, for me, brought the whole weekend together. Laura suddenly grabbed the microphone, and as the noise and laughter in the garden faded into complete silence, she called out, “Mum, I need you to listen to this song! And where is Steve?” She then told everyone that I had written a song especially for Bridge and pressed play. The music came through the very loud speaker, and suddenly there was nowhere to hide from the emotion of that moment. Laura and her sister Charlotte stood either side of their mum, each holding her close, while I stood opposite them with Sarah in my arms. Then the first verse began… and I just broke down in tears. Sarah told me afterwards that there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere in that garden. I had written every word, heard the finished song and listened to it countless times, but hearing it there, in that garden, with Bridge standing in front of me, was completely different. This wasn’t just a song anymore. This was our story.

Then, after the first chorus, Bridge came over, took me in her arms and we began to slow dance together as the song continued. We were both crying, holding onto each other as those words played around us, and I found myself thinking about everything that had happened since we first met 26 years ago. She had been there when I lost my sight. She had been there when I was in some of the darkest years of my life. And now, here we were, all these years later, dancing together at her 70th birthday party while listening to a song I’d written to tell her what she had meant to me. I’m still not quite sure why I cried because, let’s face it, I wrote the blooming song! Lol. But they were happy tears. Tears of gratitude. Tears for the memories, for the journey, for the friendship, and perhaps for the sheer realisation of how far both of us had come.

On Sunday, before we headed home, my brother Paul came to pick Sarah and me up from the hotel. He then picked up my Dad and the four of us went to the pub for Sunday lunch together. After lunch, we headed to Starbucks for a lovely coffee and a proper catch-up before Paul dropped Sarah and me off at the train station to head home. I don’t get to see my Dad very often at all, so having the chance to spend some time with him, sit together, chat and simply enjoy being in each other’s company meant a lot to me. As we said our goodbyes and Sarah and I boarded the train home, I found myself reflecting on just how full those few days in Derby had been. Family, old friends, surprises, laughter, memories and one very emotional birthday celebration. It was a weekend I’ll remember for a very long time. 😀