Birthday Sun and Sea

A trip to Greece with my good friend Parisa felt perfectly timed. A birthday escape and some much needed rest. Being a carer is a role that reshapes your life quietly but completely. The responsibility is constant, even when you are not physically present your mind rarely switches off. There is the emotional weight of watching someone you love navigate illness, the practical logistics of appointments and medication and the particular kind of exhaustion that comes from holding it all together. It can be isolating at times, especially when your peers seem to be moving freely through their lives while yours feels tethered.

So a bit of sun, sea and long conversations, proper food and that slower Mediterranean rhythm was exactly what I needed. I showed Parisa some of my favourite spots, we went to a house music party on the beach and chilled in my local neighbourhood. We also spent time with my good friend Zoe and I was really glad those two got along so well. It wasn't extravagant but it was restorative. Sometimes stepping away even briefly resets everything. Celebrating another year somewhere warm with someone who knows you well felt grounding and expansive at the same time.

And then right in the middle of all that I landed an interview with the Bat Conservation Trust, which felt significant. A reminder that the conservation passion hasn't gone anywhere, even as I explore more creative paths. It is interesting how life layers itself like that. Rest and responsibility, reflection and opportunity, all happening at once.