I have always thought of the autumn as the beginning of the gardening year. A time to take stock whilst everything is still standing and memories are fresh from the growing season. A gentle pause before winter works and plans can be put into action.

This autumn is special, because I am taking a three-month sabbatical. I have worked consistently hard since starting my working life, taking very little time for myself in pursuit of the next step. Increasingly, and as the garden here grows and gently demands my attention, it has become a useful reminder that my energy should not always be directed outward. A garden needs time, not only in the tending, but also in the quiet of reflection. Which is the right way to steer one’s energy to shape future outcomes and, if you take the time to listen, which path is the right path, the one that reciprocates for the choices being meaningful?