Today I went to museum of the mind. What a fascinating place i had never been there before. Yesterday I had driven past and saw a blue sign on the gate. In neat print it said Museum of the mind, open Wednesday 10 to 12.30pm. I had an overwhelming feeling I needed to visit.

I had barely entered the building when an older man with kind eyes came to speak to me. I had the feeling I knew him well. His eyes in particular looked so familiar.

I said I feel I know you from somewhere, but I don’t know where?

He told me how he had worked at Stoke Park mental hospital. I said how I had became interested in mental health. About my work with homeless.

He said how fascinating it was to talk to me. I felt like I was like talking to someone I had known forever. I had no clue who this elderly man 👴 was.

We had cup of tea and and a long conversation that could have continued for hours but realising the time and that I had not yet seen the museum, i thanked him and continued on my tour of the building.

It was an amazing place that blew me away. I could have stayed there for hours. Opening times were restricted, it only opened for 2.5 hours.

I knew it was time to leave when i could hear staff saying their goodbyes. i approached the man to say goodbye. My meeting with him had felt significant. I wanted to thank him for his time…..

As he looked at me.. BOOM.. in my head i heard “his name is John”.. like a doorway was opened I suddenly knew who he was. A man who 30 years earlier had dark hair, I thought at the time he looked like Mr Rigsby from Rising Damp. I had not seen this person for 30 years. He was the manager of the team in youth homeless where i worked as a teen 1985-7. This was my first real job. I remembered his name, what he smoked, his life he talked about from 30 years ago, As vividly as if he had told me 10 mins earlier. I remembered our work together.

Back then there was no duty for homeless people. There was no central housing register. We had to apply to each individual housing association. A long task. There was no safeguarding. No joint agency working. Little rules or regulations. Part 7 of the 1996 Housing Act of course did not exist. We worked from our heart as a team.

We would leaflet houses in the area. Walking the streets to see if we could get a room for someone in their house. There was no other provision. Only what we created.

But… i had no time to talk further. The museum was now closing. I said my goodbyes and he said please do come visit us again soon.

Yesterday i was questioning my work…. how operating from my heart sometimes gets me into trouble.

Today I remembered who I truly am. Why I do what I do.

Synchronicity is it really is a wink from the universe when you need it most?

desiderata – by max ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920