As the year draws rapidly to a close and Kilimanjaro looms ever larger, I have been focused on reviewing kit lists, ordering from Black Friday “sales”, and worrying about whether I am doing enough training.
And then I watched a short film on Twitter, which reminded me why this challenge is so important. This Tuesday was International Day for People with Disabilities and the film outlined how UNICEF had helped four young Syrian refugees in Jordan overcome basic challenges such as accessing toilet facilities and equipment to support their independence. Knowing from personal experience how important dignity and independence are to people with disabilities, this really resonated with me. Suddenly my worries about the best water purification tablets to buy or whether I really need a pen knife seemed trivial.
So, in the frenzied run up to the festive season and as I write Christmas cards to family and friends (thanks, Ana, for the prompt to buy them from UNICEF!), I am grateful for this reminder to stop, count my blessings and remember what really matters.