Any journey of self discovery begins in childhood, here we gather up all of our earliest memories that shape our lives. As a people pleaser, I probably could not have said I was 'true to myself' then, but I certainly am now! So here is where the journey begins...
I would sing in our local church choir, twice most Saturdays for weddings, and more often than not we sang Love Divine All Loves Excelling. Probably the most popular wedding hymn with those words 'joy of heaven to earth come down'. For me singing was a joy and I sang all the time, in choir at school and church. Singing made me feel happy and being with my friends was joyful and so was the payment we got as choristers! Music and the mystery of churches stirred my passion and curiosity.
So I would say singing was my passion as a child and music filled my life. Even sat in the back of the car listening to my Dad sing along to the radio. He was born in London but declared himself an honourary Welshman as he married a Welsh girl and longed to join any of the male voice choirs of Wales!
On my journey of self discovery, song and music opened the door to happiness, in those days my Grandmother played the piano and the pub would erupt into song on Saturday nights with 'Bread of Heaven' and 'We'll keep a welcome in the hillsides'! Anyone who has heard the magic of a Welsh male voice choir will know how stirring these sounds are, not matched by the local boys at the pub, but they gave it their all!
At the same time my Grandmother encouraged us to play outside, we built dens with beer crates, climbed trees and took the double-decker bus to Tenby. The Harbour Beach was our favourite place, we spent whole summers playing and exploring the great outdoors, often not returning home until dusk.
Even to this day, a mug of tea from the kiosk on Tenby Harbour Beach is awesome and always sitting there takes me on a trip down memory lane. It is instant how sights and smells bring to mind all of our childhood memories, stored away, waiting to be recalled.