Who Am I?

Who Am I?

I am a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a granddaughter and niece. I am a friend, a confider and a crutch to many. But that is who I am to other people, this is about me.

WHO AM I?

I am Chloe!

I love animals- their unique personalities, their fur (or lack of it), dependence on me for food, water and love, watching them grow and develop, teaching them tricks, taking photos and documenting their lives. I love the way an animal never judges you, never hurts your feelings and will always listen. I believe animals have a way of understanding human emotion and feel the need to support and love through heartache and illness.

I love my family- I love the way we unite through the difficult times, laugh through the fun times, share memories for a lifetime and work together as one. I love that each member of my family plays a different role in my life, whether that be my confider, my comforter, my friend, my role model and so many more! I take comfort from the fact I know my family will never leave me, despite how much we have all been through. They will never leave me to do anything alone. I love how close we are compared to other families, sharing our concerns and working through them, not hiding them with anger or resentment. I love that I have two families that work in different ways, and that I get positives out of them both. I love that I get double the presents on my birthday because my family is so huge! I love that I have family in different places in the world, which has given me the opportunity to travel.  

I love art- whether this be art I create or art I appreciate, I love it in every form. I love exploring new craft techniques and perfecting old ones, I adore gathering together as many materials as possible and sitting down to see where a project will take me. I love that there is no right or wrong in art, it is simply a matter of judgement and opinion. I love that art is such a broad spectrum, there is always something new to explore! I love that so many things fall under the category of ‘art’, but my favourite is creating art in a practical form. I appreciate other peoples work and talent, but I would much rather be getting stuck into it myself. I love that there is no boundaries and no limits to what you can create. With art there literally is no stopping me, I will create something out of scraps and ends, because I believe that little things can be just as magnificent and big things. I love that art can document things just as well as words. A picture can in fact speak thousands of words at once, sometimes emotion comes screaming from the piece and other times it lingers softly in the background making you work harder to try and find out what it is trying to say.

I love the natural world- walking barefoot across the sand, muddy wellies in the forest, splashing in the lake, laughing in the sun and dancing in the rain. I love how nature is so raw and so perfect before it is touched by mankind. Frosty mornings, bright summer nights, crunchy leaves in all different shades, blossoming trees, the smell of cut grass, the sound of a trickling stream. It is all just so beautiful! I would never change living in the countryside for the world. The city is the right place for some people I am sure, but never for me! I love waking up in the morning knowing that I am surrounded by beautiful nature. To me nature is the foundation of life.

I love God- This is something I am yet to mention on my blog much, but a huge huge part of my life. I am blessed to have a wonderful relationship with my Heavenly Father. I am blessed to have a firm connected relationship with him. To have the resources to read his word and to communicate with him through prayer. I am blessed with the knowledge and comfort that Jesus knows my every pain, trial and heartache but can also share with me my happiest moments. I am so lucky to have a wonderful support network of like-minded friends, as we nurture each other’s beliefs and grow as people spiritually and emotionally. I am so lucky to have a church locally I can attend, a house of God filled with his spirit and refreshing thoughts of praise and life.

I love lists, structure and routine- If you walked into my bedroom you would think I am a messy person. I hate throwing things away because I always see a second use in things, I suppose I am good for the environment, but not so much the state of our house! But my mess to me is organised. Other people may not know where things are but I absolutely do (most of the time). I know where to find a piece of lace, some cardboard, a pebble or a bead. I can put my finger on the skirt I wore Tuesday last week (unless my loving Mummy has put it in the washing!) Structure and routine brings me comfort because I know exactly what is going on and when, it lessens anxiety and brings out the confidence in my stride. I do not like it when plans go wrong.

I love ‘countryside clothing’- Which is NOT H&M, New look, Topshop or River Island. It is Joules, Barbour, Dubarry and Musto! This doesn't make me posh, or a snob. This is what I like, it is what I feel comfortable and confident in. I like to take pride in my appearance. Just because I don’t like leaving the house without make up- it doesn't make me vein. I just like to look my best, I like to take time and effort in how I dress and look. I like to make investments into ‘timeless’ pieces of clothing, rather than spending money all the time on the latest trend.

I love capturing precious moments in a photograph, whether that be something significant like a family members wedding or something as simple and spontaneous as a lady bird on a leaf.

I love children, I love the way their chubby legs kick high in the air as they desperately try to roll over for the first time. I love the gargles that come from their little mouths with giggles soon to follow. I love the way they totter from one piece of furniture to another and how everyone cheers as their faces light up the room. I love how children’s brains are like a sponge and they soak up all the information surrounding them, their ability to learn so quickly fascinates me. I love how you can nurture a child right from day one. I adore the way that they come out with such quirky sayings and comments that bring tears of laughter to your eyes.

I love the elderly, I love that this generation has done SO much for us, and now it is our turn to return the favour and give them the treatment and respect they deserve. I love that the elderly have stories to tell from years ago that you couldn't possibly imagine. They cook the best cakes and give the best hugs. I love that older people are so much wiser and a great to turn to for knowledge and advice. I love the cheeky side older people have- showing glimpses into what they were like as youths. I think it is fascinating how the body changes through the years, from skin so smooth to a face full of wrinkles! But those wrinkles are like war wounds, they show how much a person has smiled or frowned in their lifetime, I think a hard worker all round has a good set of wrinkles, why would you want to get rid of something that almost tells a story? That is just my opinion.

I love helping others, this is a big one for me. I will do anything in my power to help someone else in need. Whether that be emotionally, spiritually, physically or practically. Helping others makes me feel GOOD! Helping others makes me feel like I have purpose and that I am doing my part to make this world a better place. Helping others should be part of everyone’s day to day regime in my opinion. What use would we be if everyone was just ‘take take take’ with nothing to give? It would be a pretty dismal society. This one I am passionate about. GIVE MORE THAN YOU RECEIVE. Be realistic! If you have time, money, energy, good health, patience, skills or knowledge then why not let others use some of that too? If we worked together and everyone gave more than they received, think how pleasant the world would be? I will always try to stick to that one. I love hearing the words “thank you so much for your help” or “you've really helped me I really appreciate it”. That is a gift in itself!

So, that is a bit about ME, Chloe Alice, not my illness, not my obstacles, but the things I love and adore and the things that make me, me.