Author name: Joel Pope

It was a sunny summers day, but with a cool refreshing breeze. My mum and I were sitting in a cozy farmhouse converted cafe and shop eating lunch in Banbury, UK, close to my parents’ home. As we sipped our coffee and ate our warm jacket potato, we discussed possible activities for the afternoon. We recalled, travelling home from nearby Stratfor-upon-Avon two days previously, passing Upton House and Gardens, a National Trust property. The spactious grounds and beautiful architecture of the house and struck our attention as we drove past. Now were keen to see more. Our choice had been made Upon arrival, we parked in the peaceful, open, gravel car park at the side of the grounds. This is right next to where you buy tickets from, making it welcoming and convenient. Although the school holidays, it was a Thursday afternoon, but the car park was still perhaps 60 per cent full. On a weekend day or public holiday with particularly nice weather, it could well be busy, so be prepared. The car park is in the sun, so do pay attention to managing the temperature of your car on a hot day. Entry fee was £17 for an adult (time of writing, August 2025), with the option of additional Gift Aid. It was cheaper for children and with discounts for families. There are also memberships and annual passes available. Prices can change, so I would recommend contacting them directly. You buy the tickets from the small building by the car park. The staff were exceptionally warm and friendly. They shared a map with us, showed us the key points on it, shared the closing times and were happy to answer any questions or make recommendations. Thank you! Following the suggestion of the gentleman who served us we headed first for the house. Leaving the building from which we bought tickets, we followed a short path and then turned right onto the main road up to the house, with breathtaking views up to the house. The architecture of the house allows it to retain its culture, history and grandeur well into the 21st century. Walking across the small courtyard and through the front door in the middle, we were greeted by a member of staff, who introduced us to the history of the house. Dating back to the 1700’s and used by Lord and Lady Bearsted from the 1920’s, the house was once a home and retreat and now a gallery of spectacular art. Close your eyes and imagine walking. You see an old dining room, a long, three rooms now combined to one long, majestic back room, with sofas much of the way down. There is an antique library, overlooking a lower floor. Down below this, a billiards room, with a large, green playing table. Lower still, a previous squash court, now converted to hold paintings full of colour. Everywhere, there is the fresh smell of history, and paintings and tapestries on the walls. Standing behind the house on the Main Lawn, you see the countryside going into the distance. What this hides however, is the Ha Ha. This is a design I was humbled to learn about today. Cut like steps on different levels behind the lawn are levels of orchards and a large pool at the bottom. The construction allows these to exist and the grounds extended, but only the open countryside seen from the house, for a natural feel. Our following walk around the grounds consisted of a stroll past the apple trees of the Quiet Orchard, down a path through trees and past the old swimming pool, which has a deep diving area at one end. We continued down the Ha Ha, and around the Mirror Pool. We past the Sunken Garden, an area of grass lowered from that around it, home to nets, perhaps for volleyball or badminton. Finally, we went up a winding path, past the, as we commented “quite big” Bog Cottage and back to the house. Next to the house, there is a shop selling souvenirs including soft toys, books and calender, as well as plants. We found ourselves at the large Pavilion Cafe, where we enjoyed a refreshing drink. Food is also sold here. To finish our experience, we made our way through the Woodland Walk and along the front of the grounds and back to our car. It was a soothing afternoon. It is wonderful to know that as the world rapidly changes in the year 2025, such places are retained. Not a home of elite, but a place open for us to see and admire, culture, history, arts and nature all in one. A tranquil experience.

Achievement, on any level is not something that happens overnight or in the click of a finger. The understanding and reality behind this statement should be widely known. Yet, how easy is it to not show this understanding in the way we act or think, or even in our reflections and outlook on life. I remember when I graduated from university. The most important thing to me was “being somebody” or “achieving something”. A first point of thought was what did that even mean? Did I even know? This is a very deep topic and something for another time. One thing that was certain was that it did lead me to continually try to take steps that I might have seen to go in that direction, even if I didn’t really think deeply about or have passion for what I was doing. For example, applying for well paid and prestigious jobs in which I had no real interest. Also, saying I wanted to be an entrepreneur without any real focus on an idea or interest in some of the things that might come for it, for example, money. I have indeed come to deeply understand over the years, that what I am really driven by is the desire to help others and do something meaningful. Yes, I do also have a drive to be innovative and try my own ideas. Over time, I came to relax from this impatience for something to happen quickly. Not in a rush to commit to anything, I began tutoring. I found that I did enjoy this. Working with others closely is important to and motivates me. I started with a student, then progressed over the course of a year to do this full time as I took on more and more students. I eventually progressed to school teaching alongside tutoring and have ultimately moved to the other side of the world to continue this. Although teaching might be an emphasized example of this, it is really the case no matter what you do in life, that every day will be it’s own story and microcosm of a longer period of life. There may be highs, lows, successes and challenges. The important thing is the necessity to focus on each day as a new and unique day, with energy and drive. I reflect now and I have come a long way, since graduating nearly ten years ago. I have become more self-secure on many levels, whether it be financially or emotionally. I have learned and progressed a lot in what I am doing, and am now also able to share my experiences with others. I have completed additional qualifications. Over the years, I have always had a desire to do side work and personal projects, but have ended up focusing on core things I am doing, whether it being my work or self-development. I am now finally having some time for such activities, for example writing this blog. Most importantly, I wake up each day genuinely believing in what I am doing. It is meaningful and motivates me. I am doing nothing out of the ordinary, indeed nothing but regular jobs like many others. There is still a long way forward that can be gone. There is much more I can learn – new knowledge and new skills. There are different and indeed more things I could do to help others. The point is, going back to my early words here, I now have or am on a path to things I now realize I had wanted when I tried to make quick and unmotivated steps in my younger days. Moving forward in life in so many circumstances requires combinations, of perseverance, longevity, grit, hard work, passion and risk. You don’t need me to give you stories of so many well-known people in all walks of lives and the roads they have had to go on. A point here for us however is to remember this fact in our thinking, outlook, and approach to life. Wherever you are, be patient. Consider and reflect on the time things need to take to happen. It may be that you need some time to develop skills before you can use them to implement ideas you might have. It may be that you have commitments and situations that you need to focus on first, before moving on to something else. It may be that what you have a deep desire to do has to be built towards. Embrace each day as it’s own journey. Focus on your behaviors and what you need to do now. Drive your path forwards. Remember to celebrate all successes, all steps forwards, not matter what size, along the way. There is a reality. Time is needed. But fear not – time, age, and many other things are just numbers. Don’t worry about them. Embrace the present, and use it to drive the natural path forward towards the future. Focus on what you are doing now and use it to drive the path forwards with patience.

I remember, as I arrived at my place of work this morning, I stopped, shook hands and made a point of saying good morning to my colleague who was standing at the gate. We smiled and continued to get along with our days. Perhaps unconsciously the good feeling that comes from positive social interaction went through me. My day was already off to a good start. Reflecting this and noting it now, I get the good feeling again. The interaction was part of what makes life wonderful. What would happen next? Of course, it was a busy day as everyday is, and much happened, some fast, some slow. What wonderful, even if small things can I notice. Interacting with my student (I am a teacher) at the time, I shared the sense of achievement as I witnessed him completing a multiple step construction requiring attention to detail in following instructions. During the morning snack time, I witness curioity as my students tryed to name the never-seen before food they were eating. Is the variety of food we prepare and see everyday not another marvel in itself, that should not be taken for granted? As a class, we did some runs outside. I contemplate these now. It is truly a wonderful opportunity to be able to freely let of energy like this? Even the feeling of the air on your face is fresh and exhilerating. The outdoors truly is a wonderful thing. Later, I went to get lunch. I shared a laugh with the kitchen staff about the number of vegetables I was having. I said a deep thank you, to which they lightly smiled and laughed. I think about this now. It was a calming experience in the middle of a busy day. In the early afternoon, I went to pick up some items from the school store. I shared another laugh with a colleague. I remember that now with a smile. A simple connection. In the afternoon, we rehearsed for a performance. We were able to see progress from the previous practice two days ago as we are now more familiar. Indeed even if it had only been a much smaller step forward, it would have been progress. I saw further positivity created as we had a feedback and individuals shared that they had been very happy and felt we were much better. Thank you! The weather turned to rain later in the day. Yet this brought with it, a new refreshing feel to the air. Also the opportunity for laughter as we sung the “Rain, rain, go away.” song – much liked amoungst my four and five year old students. This evening, I played a card game with a friend. We had the opportunity to exerise our brain, support each other and benefit from social interaction. It was truly warming to be with his family also. Life is complicated. The world is complicated. The outside world is varied. However, we can think about many things in different ways. A soon as we stop and realize that we can have control over the way we think about the world, what we see and what is happening, life can be enriched. It is nothing new to say be proactive and not reactive. On a level, this can mean find ways to be positive and proactive in how you interpret live. Take time to sit down, smile and think about any number of positive things that have happened or the beauty that comes from them. Noting five each day might be one example. Once we find and highlight the positivity, it will come to light. There are a number of areas of beauty in life – positive social interactions, however small, shared experiences, progress and growth and aspects of the natural world. Take time to reflect on and find the positive. Think about them, and if they are small, they will grow. Much of the beauty in the way you see the world can be created by you.

I am a lover of educational YouTube videos. With lengths of 5 – 20 minutes for example, there will often be time to watch one in a gap during our day. So many of them teach in a memorable and engaging way. The list of impactful channels is endless. Looking back at early videos of some of my favorite channels, I see how the quality has changed over time and how beneficial feedback from commenters has been from helping them grow and develop. This can remind us of a valuable truth. I have always been inspired by many of these creators to build my own such channel for expressing myself. This blog is such an endeavour. Even this evening, it is getting late, but I sit down to write this very post. I have many, many thoughts I want to see through this blog. It can be difficult to know where to begin. How to do it. How I can start so as to have direction. What my quality will be. If people will be interested in reading. I can’t continue to wait or fear. I have to just do. Post number two, I continue with this. In life, it can be so easy to run away from or avoid things we know we really want or have to do. Fear can get in the way. Fear of “failure”, if that is something the can even be defined. Fear of having not prepared well enough. Fear of not being ready. Thinking we don’t have the time. Yet, we need to always remember that without trying, we will never succeed. Through experience, feedback and “failure”, we learn. If we try, we are taking steps forward. We are beginning or continuing on our journey. It can seem overwhelming if there is a lot to do or your goal seems like a long way off. However, remember that your plan and vision for whatever you want to do may change over time anyway. While it is important to begin with the end in mind and have goals and a plan, the most important thing is the “doing”. Always look at this in small steps. That one sports training session. That one blog post. That one email you send related to a new job or to build a connection. That one script you write. That one new task you do at work. That one small change you make in your personal life. Remember the importance of every small step. Focus on each one at a time. Celebrate each. We progress through life through doing. Nothing will be a smooth journey. Remember, it is really through doing, through acting, that our plans, goals, ideas and direction transform. Keep the bigger picture in mind, yes, but focus on the small steps, one at a time. Don’t think about it, or whether or not you should do it. JUST DO IT!

An analagy for life. Such a topic theme is far from original. But should that matter? This is probably far from the “best”, whatever that may mean, but should that matter? Should we let such thoughts stop us from trying our ideas or living life? In the same way, do you need to come up with the next “big idea” to be successful or have a fulfilled life? Of course not! It can be all too easy in life to “want to be something” without realising that you are already. Whatever life path you follow; whatever job or career you choose; whatever business or project you might work on, it has never been done in the way you will do it before. It doesn’t matter if you are following a career or running a business or charity that on the surface is similar to others now or before you. No one has ever served or impacted those you are right now in the exact way you are currently doing so. You are unique and are offering your own flare to whatever you are doing. Perhaps as soon as you realize this, life can be or is happy or meaningful. Maybe this post is an analogy for that also? I still remember doing an art activity as a young child, creating snowflakes out of paper. My teacher was clear and warming in noting that ours would all be different. All snowflakes are different. I thank her very much for teaching me this valuable lesson. All snowflakes have a different shape and composition. We too are all different. (Even identical twins will be impacted slightly differently by their environment, even if these environments are similar or the same.) All snowflakes follow a unique path – a unique journey – through the sky. They will see there own unique sequence of environments and have their own destination and landing point. Challenges exist of course. They may be blown along a bit by the wind. They can be accompanied by a cold and harsh environment. They can end up in different places all around the world. However, all snowflakes have their role to play in putting joy and wonder on faces. The awe and happiness as we experience snow and everything it offers. Every snowflake has it’s role to play in creating a beautiful world. Thank you!