Just before handing over to Oleg who has written today's wonderful blog, a quick announcement from the Moodscope team.

**When we introduced the definitions of the adjectives on the Moodscope cards, we had lots of positive feedback saying how helpful they were. We also had some feedback from those who said they would prefer not to see them. So, because we want to provide a service that everyone is happy with, we've now introduced the facility to remove the definitions. You can find this in the 'Manage Account' section once you've logged in to your account. Best wishes. Caroline Ashcroft, The Moodscope Team.**

Last weekend I was lucky enough to travel to San Sebastian, a small city in the Basque Country, Northern Spain. The city is very beautiful and has many attractions to offer, but for me the main reason to go there was the Atlantic Ocean. I had been dreaming for a long time of seeing the ocean from the shore - to watch the waves and enjoy the moment.

So there I was, standing on the beautiful beach, watching the sun setting into the ocean. The waves were coming, one after another, crashing onto the shore just a few feet away. The lamp of a lighthouse on the small island switched on. Then off. Then on again.

An hour later I was still standing in the same spot. As the night was settling in, the waves were becoming bigger and bigger, making me feel small and vulnerable. I turned my eyes to the lighthouse again. Its lamp was still calmly flashing - as if there were no big waves, as if everything was under control. And there was something special about this flashing - something that comforted me very much.

Our life is like the ocean - there are calm times, there are stormy times. And there will always be waves - you cannot imagine the ocean without them. But no matter how big the waves are, think of a lighthouse. I don't mean a literal lighthouse (although imagining it may help too) - we all have different 'lighthouses'. The family, friends, or even a cat. We just need to have the will to turn away from the frightening waves - to something that reminds us that everything is going to be okay. And then maybe we'll find the strength for the next step - becoming a lighthouse for someone else.