Last week it was my birthday, and I had a lot of social events planned – mainly around seeing friends and dancing – all of which had to be cancelled as we picked up Covid. That in itself was disappointing and made me appreciate how much I enjoy spending time with “my people”.

Last time I succumbed to the virus after a few days, I was reading and writing, but this time, streaming eyes and a lowering headache prevented me from staring at a book for more than a few minutes at a time. So I’ve been listening to lots of audiobooks and watching/ listening to reruns of The West Wing, which must be one of the best TV series ever.

If we ever needed honesty and integrity in politics it is now. Whatever happens in the USA ripples around the world, so for the sake of democracy I ask all my American friends to vote.

In the West Wing, C.J. Cregg is still my favourite character because she is a professional woman holding her own amongst the men. At the time it first aired I was in a similar position in the corporate world and it was heartening to have a role model. Except I was also going through a divorce and trying to wrangle a young daughter simultaneously.

I stopped watching sometime in the third or fourth season as
a) I had even less time for leisure, and
b) none of the characters seemed to be able to sustain a relationship, as if they could not have that and a career, and that was too depressing to contemplate. I wanted it all.

For a while I had it: a relationship with a fabulous woman, a daughter and a high powered career flying around the world. But I was spread so thin with conflicting demands that it all got to me and ultimately I gave none of them the attention they deserved. I left my corporate role and set up a business with my partner, which turned into a disaster for our relationship and meant I had little time for my daughter when she was struggling with her emotional health. It’s something I regret but I cannot redo that time, but it does mean now I try and think of the long term impacts when I make a choice.

Sometimes we don’t know what the best choice is, or we are beset with unintended consequences.
We can have the best of intentions but the reality doesn’t necessarily match up with the expectations.

Life is full of choices and consequences. Are there any choices you made that had an unintended impact? Now when I make a choice I always consider if I can live with the fall out. In the meantime I’ll be holding my breath as the USA decides and the world has to deal with the consequences.