Hallo Friends,

I felt like writing even though I have nothing in particular to say. I wanted to share just three short random paragraphs, and a hope to uplift with words and pictures without any clear knowledge of where any of it is going, or whether any of it is connected or makes sense at all. I’m sure you’ll let me know.

I’ve been sitting with a mug of hot coffee listening to the crackles of sunlight sparkling on the waves at my local sea front café. Watching an adolescent herring gull as he desperately tries to coax a tasty morsel from his mother’s mouth. She flies away. He pecks at beach pebbles, fluffs his feathers and awaits her return. But again she moves away and pretends not to care. His cries are plaintive. She stands firm. The time has come for him to live or die by his own efforts. It’s a hard lesson that he does not want to learn. It’s painful to watch. And the natural world keeps on turning as if there were no huge crisis happening at all.

It’s been a strange year, hasn’t it? There has been so much hardship, loss and suffering. And worse still there’s so little many of us can do about it. But I am naively optimistic as ever. And I’ve been trying to find space in my heart and mind to send out loving thoughts and wishes to those who don’t quite deserve it. You know the ones.

I’m so grateful to have the companionship of my little budgie Almondine. This tiny bird has so much presence and spirit. He lives and plays, enjoying each moment without overthinking it, going about his daily business without seeming to worry what others may think. So small and powerless, fragile and fearless, his boldness is inspiring.

I have lots of dreams for 2021 and hope you do too.

See you on the other side,

Stay safe,

Sam Toft