They say that everyone comes into your life for a reason. Whether they stay for a long time, or a short time, for a minute or a moment that lasts forever, they can leave teachings that will stay with you for longer than a life-time. They may teach you things about yourself...like when life hits hard, I only become softer and also... I really like washing dishes.

Over summer, I fled the big city life and headed home to sleepy, wide-open skied Christchurch. It sure had been a year of turbulence, ups and downs and all arounds. It was as I stepped off the plane and on to solid ground, I finally felt free from the heavy stressful weight that had become university and life itself. I had let it all go, 30,000 ft above the earth. Memories, tears and fears just fading into the clouds.

To begin today’s wondering’s of the world, I’d like to talk about the importance of diving in and just beginning.

Going through the days, the months, the years, I often find myself forgetting, that really life hopefully will be quite long. I pack my days full of things. I fill up my mind with plans I want to make reality, my heart overflowing with adventures I want to have and dreams I want to pursue. All within the next two months…

There are 70 days till the end of 2017 and the beginning of a new year... Seventy more days to make adventures out of and to ensure that this roller coaster of a year ends on the best note. Seventy more days to reflect, to learn, to grow.

I am an avid collector of words. Looking back through three years of screenshots from my phone, thousands are screenshots of words. Words written as poetry, as thoughts, as mumbling, rumblings from the belly of a heart-stricken writer. Why do I collect words? Because with each word comes a feeling.

I may only be nineteen years old, but I've found myself, more and more often, being called an old soul...maybe it's true - but nothing will ever quell my childish love of ice cream or close my open-mouthed wonder when I look up at the night sky to see the stars gloriously shining without a care. Nothing could still the restless beating of my heart to go out and make a difference in the world.

There are always things we wish we were doing, places we'd rather be, faces we'd rather see, wishing and hoping to pack our days with the things we love. But life often gets in the way.

I decided to write this as a reminder to everyone out there that it's so important to understand we can't always be perfect.

Last Friday I made a last minute decision to go tramping. It was 5:20 pm, I was meant to be ready in ten minutes and I sat on the floor of my room, stranded in the middle of a storm of both clothes and thoughts. Chucking thermals and packets of chocolate chip cookies, kettle korn and mushrooms into my pack, pulling on thick woolen socks and pushing my feet into cold stiff boots, I managed to get myself outside and into the lovely full car waiting outside my door.

Last weekend I was lucky enough to leave the biting cold 6 degree weather of New Zealand and escape across the oceans to the blissful 26 degrees of the Gold Coast of Australia. The reason for this was to celebrate my cousin's wedding to his stunning long-time girlfriend and childhood sweetheart. I adore weddings, they celebrate the most important things in life.

In writing this post, I have decided to put myself on the page. Hopefully, it isn’t too lame.

He aha te mea nui o te ao?

What is the most important thing in the world?

Perspective is everything in this game of life we play. As the sun peeks it’s head at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, and the birds begin to tweet out their merry morning song and the gentle glow seeps colour into the dark sky, as the laughter of the stars fade out – a new day begins.

My mother once said to me: If you’re not living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much room!