...All you have to do is find your wave in August”
Happy August!
It is crazy to think that this blog came into being four years ago, in August 2019…at a time even before the covid-19 pandemic…and which has continued every month since… #august2023
I concluded my very first blog with the following quote “Like stars across the sky, we were born to shine” and I recall this quote because it demonstrates how we are all individuals but together we can bring about a very positive change in the world.
It has been fantastic to see the impact and engagement of the blogs over the years and I am grateful to everyone who has been supportive and encouraging along the way.
Since August 2019, I have: produced countless radio shows for local radio alongside appearing as guests on BBC local radio stations; set up a foodie brand account; completed undergraduate and postgraduate university degrees; created content for Rooster as a Global Brand Ambassador and most recently, launched a brand new podcast series @snippetswithsitara. I have always thought it important to dedicate appropriate amounts of energy to each task to ensure that it brings heartfelt personality and emotion to those who are engaging with the content. Consequently, I have decided that this month’s blog will be the last of its kind, as I rise to meet the demands of the next podcast series and expand my skills in photography further. This has not been an easy decision to make, especially as I hold such a strong passion for writing, but I feel that this is the right time to finish this style of blogging as I develop other skills.
“You don’t write because you want to say something…you write because you have something to say”
These words by F. Scott Fitzgerald ring very true with me, as I felt that it was important that these blogs would provide something new and vibrant for the natural course of time. Many people may think that this blog is simply about saying goodbye and simply looking back to the past and all that has happened there. Whilst composing these blogs, I have learnt about just the opposite. The unpredictability and unknown but sheer excitement which surrounds the future. I recently stumbled across the following quote, which I think is appropriate to note here: “Remember the past. Live for the future”. It is important that we remember and recognise the events and happenings in our past, but this must not define who we are or how we move on into the future.
Mahatma Gandhi famously once said:
“The future depends on what we do in the present”
I have regularly been inspired by daily observations, poems and even songs…and these have formed the epicentre of the monthly blogs. I have learnt to be open and aware to what might be waiting in the atmosphere to be written. This attitude and approach to life is what I am suggesting to you as a reader right now.
I would like to celebrate and remind you of the wonderful journey that we have shared together through this medium of blog writing…this is not simply an end…
Winston Churchill said: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”.
What does that mean for you and I?
It means that this particular journey has run its natural course, but there are other opportunities waiting for us…I have been delighted with the continued engagement of my foodie blog, with support of some truly fantastic brands recently including Boostballs and Earth’d, and will continue to share content and tips on that platform as seems appropriate. I have also taken great pleasure in the uptake of the new podcast series, which has just finished for its first series. I will be investing even more time into this and am very excited with some of the new guests who will be appearing on series 2, and hope you are too. Please visit Instagram and Tiktok to remind yourselves of all the episodes thus far!
I am happy to be also undertaking a new venture in the world of photography and I hope you like the updated website which showcases some of my work thus far. Please do get in touch if you are interested in any creative work…
When considering the theme for this final blog, I was keen to share something uplifting for the future, and was reminded of the beauty of the song “love is just a word” by Calum Scott.
I have included the full lyrics below:
Love, there's nothing more to say
Every words already been written
Every chord, already played
You, make everything make sense
Every melody hits different
Every line and sentiment
Sounds brand new
After you
Purple rain is only rain without you
Yesterday is just another day
Hallelujah is an old song by an old man in a suit
And I guess love, is just a word
Without you
Trust, is something you can't fake
It's so delicate and fragile
And it's something you can't break
They call it luck, it's something you can't make
It's a falling star you catch and then you hope to God it stays
And you caught me, and I caught you
Purple rain is only rain without you
Yesterday is just another day
Hallelujah is an old song by an old man in a suit
And I guess love, is just a word
Without you
I'm half the man I'm supposed to be
Only one more thing to say
I fall in love more every day
When I'm with you
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
You're everything I need
The better part of me
Purple rain is only rain without you
Yesterday is just another day
Hallelujah is an old song by an old man in a suit
And I guess love, is just a word
Without you
And I guess love, is just a word
Without you
You, there's nothing more to say
Every word's already been written
Every chord, already played
The lyrics of this song are so moving and hint at the important emotions that we should feel throughout our daily lives; love. The words demonstrate that love is more than just a concept or an abstract idea. Love is something that is experienced and felt on a deeper level by all who feel it. Love provides an experience that adds depth and meaning to the world around us.
I am aware that I have written a blog on love and sharing this with those nearest and dearest around you, but I think it remains a vital part of our world that we should hold dear. Whatever the situation, remember to keep love close and approach those around you with that feeling.
I have absolutely loved sharing this blog forum with you for the past few years and please do get in touch with any thoughts you may have for the future and any writing ideas you have. I feel that this is an appropriate month to finish writing this style of blog in, given that I will be celebrating my first wedding anniversary. Any important personal life event and subsequent anniversaries hones your concentration and focus on daily life and what has happened since then. Spending time in good company with family, friends and loved ones has been invaluable for me and I hope that you equally find time to do the same.
Indian teacher Sadhguru said the following:
“If life and you being alive is the most important thing in your life, if you wake up in the morning, it means you are still alive – does it not at least deserve a wonderful smile from you”
Sadhguru has been an influential voice at major global forums including the United Nations World Headquarters and the World Economic Forum, addressing issues as diverse as socioeconomic development, leadership and spirituality. He has also been invited to speak at leading educational institutions, including Oxford, London Business School, IMD, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton and MIT, to name a few. As Founder of the Isha Foundation, he has launched several projects and campaigns focused on environmental conservation and protection, including Rally for Rivers, and Save Soil. His perspective on life is universal, but he focuses his communication through love and passion. These are the same experiences that I have observed when creating these blogs over the past four years, and I hope that you have been able to connect with those positive emotions since 2019. It has been a pleasure to compose these blogs on a monthly basis and I encourage you to continue following my journey on this website and via my social media handles
Thank you for all your continued support for the foodie brand Instagram account.
Thank you for all your continued engagement with the posts and do let me know if you have any creative ideas that you would like me to try!
I conclude this final blog of August with the following words by Sadhguru which I feel are apt for the remaining words:
“If you choose, you can be joyful every moment of your life. It’s time you made your choice”
Lots and lots of love ~ show the world how much you shine,
Sitara xxx
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