I took a walk in Drum Castle old wood yesterday. It was peaceful. There was no one around. The only sounds I could hear was the leaves fluttering in the breeze, delicate bird song and every so often the heavy flap of a wood pigeon’s wings. I lay back on a thick fallen oak tree that was covered in lichen and moss and shut my eyes so I could hear everything.

Mindfulness is something I have been working on recently. The log was damp as I lay on it but it didn’t matter. I focused on my breathing – in and out, in and out. As my breathing slowed so did time.  It felt like time didn’t exist. The earthy scent of the ferns that carpeted the woodland floor filled my nostrils and the fresh air filled my lung.

I opened my eyes and looked up at the trees towering above me. I thought about the size of the world, the size of the universe and my place in it. I felt so small and my worries disintegrated. I am so insignificant in the grand scheme of things and my worries, hopes and dreams are even smaller.