Keith's Personal Website

I guess this is a question that everyone asks themselves at some time in their life, where is my life going, what am I doing here, how did my life turn out this way etc. etc. but recently I was honoured enough to see the Kwahadi Dancing Scout Troop on their European Tour, and now their tour has finished I decided to revisit their European Tour blog.

The first thing I noticed is that their blog points out all those things I take for granted. back in 2007 I went to the Gilwel Reunion (a Scout Leaders function at the UK Scout Headquarters on the edge of Epping forrest) and took two friends with me. We stayed an extra day and I took them on a tour round London. On the London Eye(not something I wanted to do but something I did not regret!), to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guard, up to Covent Garden and then down the road to the Freemasons Hall on Queen Street. We also called at the Tower of London but being late in the day we only looked at it from the outside and I had the idea that at next years reunion we could revisit the tower as London isn’t that far from Manchester! Of course for one reason or another I didn’t go to the reunion last year, and I am going to miss it again this year! But the fact that it is a few hours drive to get to makes it such an unimportant place to visit. Is this really the way I should feel about the history of my country? What if I am unable to travel this time next year?

The next thing I noticed from the Kwahadi blog was the emotion it invoked in me. The show was impressive although in the second half the explanation seemed longer than the dancing (this could have been to give the dancers the time to change/get prepared), but the amount of time that has gone into the costumes and the training for the dancing to make such an impressive show shows the dedication of those membersbut I guess the reward is fun that all the members must have ‘behind the scenes’and the knowledge that they have entertained thousands of people in the UK and many times more in the USA.

So why I have I entitled this blog entry “Where am I going?” well I guess it is a review of all those things I would like to have done and have not yet (that’s not to say I won’t just that I have not yet and given the right circumstances I possibly will), my future is not yet determined and neither is (I imagine) 95% of the worlds population!

Things I would like to have done:

• Volunteered with the RNLI – I think the work that these guys do is incredible! Considering they are unpaid and have to do a normal day job whilst being on call shows their commitment to saving lives, I know the Fire and Ambulance services do a great job but at least they get paid for their trouble!
• Volunteered with the Mountain Rescue – again I think these guys are incredible! They give their time to find strays and the injured in some of the most inhospitable places in the UK and often when the weather is at its worst!
• Visit with the Kwahadi dancers, and meet with a native Indian tribe (is that the correct word?) and learn a little about their way of life and history though I fear I would have little to offer them in return as a thank you for their hospitality (unless they need help with computers…)
• Visiting some of the most impressive monuments and historical landmarks in the UK – I have been to a few castles and monuments in England, Scotland and Wales, but I would like to see such as the Tower of London and Stone Henge and learn a little about our past (something I didn’t seem that keen on doing when I was young!!)