Team effort

This image, taken early in our traineeship in upland pathway building, is a good one. As we become more fragmented in recent times, for a variety of reasons, it is good to reminisce about a time a short while ago when we were all together, raring to get going on this new challenge. Different ages, outlooks, backgrounds, hopes, dream, aims and ambitions, we'd all somehow converged in this one place, at this time. All managed to come through a testing and competitive selection process to get the much sought-after jobs in the first place. Us each being there, that day on Ben Ledi, was notable achievement in and off itself. We all aspire to different things, some to conserve the natural environment, others to simply seek permanent paid employment, others still looking for the sort of solace, mentally and physically, that only outdoor manual labour can provide. I personally fall into all those camps, especially the latter. So, being all different, a team emerged demonstrating various strengths and abilities, finding ways to work in tandem or alone, seeking our own strengths and developing skills. Eventually, given the nature of the course demanded time off, and placements with actual path building companies, the group started to disband, break up into fragments so that perhaps on 3 or 4 of us were together at one time, replaced by a different set of the same number the week after. Only on office days on Friday, catching up on paperwork, did more of us come together. But almost exclusively we'd all rather have been out on the hill. We, all of us, each have our issues, our challenges in life. They vary over time and in nature. But dealing with them, facing up to them, is where the true lessons lie. Many of us, I'd argue, are stronger and more rounded and less troubled as a result of such an interesting and challenging, even in just these past few months which have raced by. Never again will this group of people come together again, at least not in this context and at this time in our lives. The photograph captures the wide-eyed excitement, the concern, the realities, that we all face in life every day. It is relatively insignificant in and of itself, but for some (and I'd like to think I can include myself in this) it is a moment to look back on with fondness, for an exciting new venture was just beginning, and off the back of it even more interesting life opportunities have arisen.