Andrew...

Why do some families find it so necessary to make such dramas out of the minor crises if their sons? I don't normally delete posts and start over again, but it feels right to do so here - as the person who had been described to me by the mother on Saturday evening simply isn't the one that arrived yesterday morning at all!

Admittedly, he has already told me that he had at one point in the emotional turmoil of the last few days not intended on returning home - on the grounds that whatever awaited him in Edinburgh couldn't possibly feel much worse than his life back home in Gosport; and that he did almost turn back en route, and was pretty scared when he finally arrived as he's never travelled so far away on his own before and at that point, wasn't sure he was doing the right thing...

But, tea and talk, sleep, a good meal and a walk along the Water of Leith walkway later, he announced that actually, this was really relaxing - not the kind of thing he normally does at all. In other words, the fear had subsided and he actually began to recognise the value of his achievement - and indeed, from that moment on, he's been a different person - even singing in a karaoke bar in Leith, last evening!!

Andrew is on a sharp learning curve about life - and in particular, about how much better it can be when you just take some time out for yourself occasionally, rather than trying to please others all of the time. I just wish for his sake, that his mum and sister would take the same journey...