Jake Borrett's Writing Blog

Beauty Every Day

Beauty Every Day

On difficult days I should look at the list below and remind myself, beauty can be found every day. I hope you find some comfort in these words too. Remember you are not alone.

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Sunrises and sunsets

Trees, birds, butterflies, cats, dolphins

Penguins, monkeys, goldfish, roses

The patch of blue in the sky on the cloudiest of days

Rain after a heatwave

Reading a book which makes you cry

Watching a film which makes you laugh

Listening to music which allows you to travel in time

Smiles, laughter, joy, happiness

Telling jokes with friends over pints of Coke

Acts of kindness

Justice

Love

The sweetness of strawberries, the softness of candyfloss

The spice of hot curries

The clunk-fizz noise when opening a can of lemonade

The clink of water against ice in a glass

Writing stories, telling jokes, reciting poems, speaking on radio shows

Kites, trains, bunny rabbits

The first snowflake to land on the pavement at night

Bubbles, wishing wells, shiny one and two pence pieces

The wind brushing against your cheek

Silence after noisy building work has come to an end

Bright ideas, finished projects, triumph

Good news

Babies giggling

Winning a hand at Texas hold’em

Inspirational people

Playing board games with loved ones, especially Articulate Your Life

Visiting art galleries, playing football, sailing calm seas

Talking to people who listen to understand

When a good day feels like a lifetime

Travelling to new places and returning to old favourites

The smell of fish and chips at the seaside

Natural wonders, especially the Northern Lights

Meeting new people and catching up with good friends

Family

The brightest star shining in the darkest of skies

And so, so much more…

On Sunday 28^th June 2009 my dad completed a tandem skydive at Hinton Skydiving Centre in Brackley. At the age of fourteen I watched him complete an act of bravery by jumping out of an aeroplane into the clouds below. He was inspirational for doing so because it was not long afterwards he was transferred into a nursing home due of his primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. Nine years later it was my turn.

I arrived at Hinton Skydiving Centre in Brackley at 11.30am on Thursday 28^th June 2018 with my mum, sister and a family friend. On our drive to the airfield I looked up at one of the clearest summer skies above us and remember thinking it was going to be a surreal experience to jump out of an aircraft at 13,000 feet.

When we arrived, I felt very anxious. I have never been scared of heights, but I was scared that something could go wrong; the parachute may fail to open. This anxiety continued when I signed the safety declaration forms; when requesting photographs and videos of the jump; during the safety briefing; when getting into my suit; and as my dad, one of his carers and my two cousins arrived very soon afterwards.

There was only a brief amount of time to talk to my seven supporters before my name, ‘Borrett’, was called and it was time to fly into the sky. Just before 1.00pm I said my goodbyes, hoping I would see them again. I along with three other nervous jumpers met our instructors and walked to our plane. My skydiving instructor was called Stuart. Even though he joked he had recently been ‘promoted from cleaning the toilets’ I knew I was in capable hands. After all he had recently been bobsleighing too. From my travels to Canada with my cousin, Rufus Lakin, I knew how dangerous this can be too.

During our plane ride up to 13,000 feet, Stuart completed the final safety checks and did his best to slow down my very fast breathing. The aircraft smelt of nervous, excited sweat; we could hear the flurry of the wind brushing against the windows; grip hold of the leather plinths; taste petrol; and watch our loved ones shrink as the number of the altitude clock continued to climb.

At 13,000 feet the doors opened and I saw the drop into the blue sky and white clouds below. A number of solo skydivers went first before two sets of other tandem skydivers. Soon afterwards it was my turn. As I dangled on the edge of the plane 13,000 feet up in the horizon and with Stuart strapped in behind me, what was I thinking about? Surprisingly I was not thinking there is a chance the parachute will not open and I could die, or I should be sensible and go back inside. Despite a dry mouth, sweat dripping down my arms and legs and my heart thudding, I was thinking about the board game, Articulate Your Life. I was coming up with ways in which to describe words.

Then Stuart let go and we tumbled into the brightest blue below. In freefall I remember the rush of wind hitting my face, looking at the camera man floating below us, and the sense of freedom. After an unmeasurable number of seconds, the parachute opened and we sailed into the sky. Then silence. A strange silence where all I could hear was Stuart’s voice giving me a tour of Northamptonshire from above the clouds. We could see Silverstone Circuit and the airfield. It was spectacular. We descended down to the airfield in our blue and orange parachute and into the hugs, smiles and cheers of loved ones.

It is difficult to describe what it feels like to complete a tandem skydive. Only people who have done one will understand that, and they themselves find it challenging to remember every detail. However, I do remember feeling anxious, terrified but more so exhilarated, magical, free and strangely, alive.

It was also an honour to complete a tandem skydive in aid of the two charities, Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia Foundation. Both have supported me every day since being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of thirteen and dyspraxia at the age of eighteen. The people who volunteer and work at the organisations have been there through all the achievements but also on the darkest of days too.

I am also thankful to my loved ones who came to watch as their son, brother, cousin or friend descend from the sky above. In particular thank you to my dad. He inspired me. If he did not have the courage to jump out at 13,000 feet in June 2009 I would not have experienced it for myself nine years later.

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If you would like to kindly donate as part of my tandem skydive for Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia Foundation you still can by following these links:

For Jake Borrett’s Team Page, please follow this link:

https://www.justgiving.com/companyteams/jakeborrett

To donate to Crohn’s and Colitis UK, please follow this link:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jake-borrett1

To donate to Dyspraxia Foundation, please follow this link:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jake-borrett2

Thank you so much for your kindness.

Disease, Disease

Disease, Disease

Disease, disease you crept into my life when I was nine

Disease, disease you laughed when they called you benign

Disease, disease you mocked me when I believed your lies

But disease, disease she saw the truth burning behind your eyes

Still disease, disease you sent a thousand daggers all my way

Still disease, disease you left me dripping blood each hospitalised day

Still disease, disease you played tricks on my mind for your final blow

But disease, disease, you failed to realise you still have one last foe

Listen disease, disease after eleven years it has come down to this

Listen disease, disease after all your hits from your blazing fists

Listen disease, disease, you may have picked on a helpless son

But you keep on forgetting that you have one weakness, my mum.

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Saturday 19^th May 2018 marks ‘World Inflammatory Bowel Disease 2018’.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which affects 300,000 people in the United Kingdom and millions more worldwide.

I have Crohn’s disease. Through the good times and the bad, my mum has always been there. Thank you Mum and thank you for your support too.

Why I am skydiving for Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia Foundation

Why I am skydiving for Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia Foundation

On Sunday 28^th June 2009 my dad completed a tandem skydive in aid of Multiple Sclerosis Society. He was diagnosed with the neurological condition in 1998. In a matter of twenty years he has gone from running half-marathons to a living in a nursing home due to his serious complex and unpredictable primary health care needs. It is remarkable to think he was able to undergo such a feat whilst he was still just about able to do so.

Exactly nine years later, on Thursday 28^th June 2018 I will be doing the same as my dad and will be completing a tandem skydive, but this time in aid of Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia Foundation. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at thirteen years old and dyspraxia at the age of eighteen. My journey living with these two hidden disabilities has included being bullied at secondary school; regular hospital admissions; flare-ups and surgery; tears, anger, embarrassment, isolation and fear; and further complications with mental health too.

Nevertheless, I also believe Crohn’s disease and dyspraxia have made me a creative, bright, funny, courageous and determined individual. I am proud to have achieved a first-class honours degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from University of Hertfordshire despite having tri-weekly learning support lessons during the first three years of secondary school. I am also proud to have passed my driving practical test first time in an automatic car as of March 2018.

Raising awareness of all forms of hidden disability and mental health conditions is so important to me. One reason is to challenge the stigmas and taboos which still exist. We are not stupid, lazy or dangerous. We are definitely not ‘freaks’, ‘losers’ or ‘retards’ as some of the bullies at secondary school suggested I was. Instead we are amazing people who achieve incredible ambitions.

I am completing this tandem skydive in aid of Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia Foundation as they are two charities which support thousands of people across the country who live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and specific learning conditions, respectively. It is also their mission to increase understanding especially among professionals in health and education and to spread awareness of how people living with the condition and their loved ones can be helped.

Both charities have been very supportive. I regularly write articles, appear on radio shows, and am a member of Crohn’s and Colitis UK’s Readers Panel. In June 2017, I was humbly awarded the ‘Matthew Hunt Award’ for ‘outstanding achievement in raising awareness of dyspraxia’.

The charities continue to do excellent work to support thousands of people living in the United Kingdom. Therefore, this tandem skydive is my way of saying thank you to them but also to you who have listened or read every word and are there on the toughest of days, but also in the joy, laughter and celebrations as well. Plus, I like to think I will also be doing my dad proud by flying through the sky like a butterfly.

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If you would like to kindly donate, please do. You can do so through any of the relevant links below.