It’s just struck me, it was a year ago I left Gillingham YFC and joined British YFC! Wow! That has gone really quickly.

I look back over the past year and, actually, apart from 2 or 3 things I think I have achieved what I set out to achieve in my last 12 months. I’m glad I did not achieve everything or I would be sitting here now wondering if I had set my targets too low; strangely I am sitting here now thinking I will need to work harder and be more efficient next year.

Although my 12 months with YFC have been excellent and I have counted most days as a privilege so be part of a great family organisation with fantastic people, it struck me quite hard just now as I was reflecting that the year itself has been pretty horrible.

A year ago we saw Beslan, we have seen the effects of the Tsunami, great poverty in too many countries to mention, despite MPH, too many deaths from the war in Iraq, and more recently the London bombings, the hurricane of south America and today those crushed in panic in Baghdad.

I was shocked that, really, I had forgotten Beslan and the tsunami and, if I am honest, many of the other heartaches, some in the world and others of both friends and family. It’s quite horrible to think that the human mind forgets so quickly and just gets on – or maybe it is just me that has forgotten and got on with my life, I should not generalise for others. I’m sitting here and wondering how come something that shocked me and moved me to tears so profoundly can, only a few months later, be gone from my mind.

Were the tears just to make me feel better? Was I really moved at the time? I think I was. Maybe it is just necessary for us to move on and continue as to contemplate too deeply is just too painful an exercise. Self protection means we move on.