Hello, my TraceysTrek faithfuls!
Well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?
I’ve got soooo much to tell you, but my brain has been rather occupied with all sorts of other activities lately. There’s certainly been no sitting around twiddling my thumbs!
Tonight, however, marked the end of a series of talks I’ve been giving over the past few weeks, and I have to say, I’m feeling rather relieved.
Not because I haven’t enjoyed them, but because I hadn’t quite appreciated just how much they were weighing on me.
Let me explain…
First up were two formal fundraising events for Marie Curie, where I had been invited to be the pledge speaker.
My role was to remind everyone in the room why Marie Curie exists and why the work they do matters so much. To bring the evening back to the people and families who need their support, particularly during those precious and often incredibly difficult final days of life.
And to do that, I shared my own personal experience of Angela’s illness, her final days, and what Marie Curie’s support meant to Angela, me and our family.
Now, those of you who know me will know that I’m not exactly a shrinking violet! Put me in front of an audience and I’m normally quite happy to talk. In fact, getting me to stop can sometimes be the bigger challenge!
But this was different.
Very different.
I’ve spent years speaking in front of people through my work, but I’ve discovered there’s an enormous difference between talking about something professionally and standing on a stage, opening up your heart and sharing some of the most painful and personal moments of your life.
It makes you feel incredibly vulnerable.
And when you’re doing that in front of several hundred people, dressed in their finest at a black-tie dinner, well, that takes things to a whole new level!
I hadn’t realised quite how nervous I was going to be, or how much emotional energy I was using in the weeks leading up to these events.
The first was the Marie Curie Glasgow Brain Game, a spectacular black-tie dinner attended by around 600 people. Danny and Sara came along as my guests and I think we scrubbed up pretty well. It’s a far cry from my walking gear and boots!
And what an incredible evening it was!
The event raised over £275,000 for Marie Curie. An absolutely phenomenal amount that will make a real difference to people and families facing the end of life.
Last weekend, I was back on stage again, this time at the Marie Curie Ladies’ Lunch.
Well, what can I say about that one?!
Let’s just say it was a rather more raucous affair! The ladies were certainly out to enjoy themselves, and the atmosphere was fantastic.
Once again, though, my role was to bring everyone back, just for a few moments, to the reason we were all there.
And once again, that meant talking about Angela.
Then tonight came the final talk in this little series, this time at our local library in Bearsden.
A rather smaller and more select audience, including several familiar faces who had actually been part of my TraceysTrek adventure.
This was a completely different experience. Much more relaxed, much more informal, and with the luxury of time to tell some of the stories from my 365 days and 5,108 miles around Britain’s coast.
There was room for the adventures, the challenges, the ridiculous moments, the kindness of strangers and, of course, the reasons I set off on this rather bonkers journey in the first place.
It felt lovely to be sharing the whole experience rather than concentrating so intensely on the most emotional parts of my story. And I really enjoyed thanking all the wonderful people who helped me along the journey for without them I would never have made it.
And now?
I feel as though someone has lifted an enormous weight from my shoulders.
It’s quite extraordinary, really. I hadn’t fully recognised how much these talks had been occupying my thoughts until tonight, when I suddenly realised they were all done.
And instead of feeling drained, I’m feeling relaxed, energised and ready for whatever comes next.
Which, knowing me, probably won’t involve sitting still for very long!
So, what else has been happening?
Oh my goodness, where do I start?!
There is SO much to catch you up on. Life after TraceysTrek has certainly not been dull, and I’ve got plenty of stories, adventures and developments to share.
I think I’m going to have to do a bit of back-blogging to fill in some of the gaps. So don’t be surprised if we hop backwards and forwards in time for a little while!
You may also have noticed that the TraceysTrek website has had a bit of a makeover. That’s another little project that’s been keeping me occupied, and there’s more to come.
For now, though, I just wanted to pop back, say hello and let you know that I’m still here, still talking (no surprises there!), and still finding my way through this next chapter of life.
Bye for now, my faithfuls. It’s lovely to be back!
Tracey x
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