IN exactly one week, millions of Scots will head to the polling stations to cast their vote in a referendum that has divided the country and caused many a heated debated among friends, families, work colleagues and even strangers in cafes and pubs up and down the land.

The time for discussion and debate is, however, fast running out and we all must take a deep breath and think long and hard about the decision we are each about to make - as we've been constantly reminded by both campaigns that there is no going back and Scotland's future is in Scotland's hands.

I'm writing this column in a hotel room in the north of England as I'm performing at an event down here, and instead of taking up the kind offer of a car or return train ticket from the organisers I decided to drive the 148 miles from Glasgow myself as this would be my last trip to England before the vote on September 18.

As I approched the sign telling me that I was now entering England I wondered how different, if at all, my future journeys by car would be down south over the next few years in the event of a Yes vote.

I pulled into a petrol station not far from Newcastle and as soon as the gentlemen serving me heard my accent he immediately asked me what I thought about the referendum.

I was just about to answer him when it dawned on me that as an Englishman I'd like to hear his thoughts on the subject too, which he was only to happy to tell me.

He said that if he had a vote he would 100% go for independence.

I was quite surprised to hear this, so I asked him why.

He said it was very simple: if Scotland is such a burden and is constantly being subsidised by the rest of the UK, why are the bigwigs in Westminster throwing everything and the kitchen sink at the Scottish people in a last ditch attempt to get them to stay in the union?

Why don't they just breath a sigh of relief and cut Scotland loose to fend for itself?

I told him I didn't have the official political answer, but I assumed it meant we must be of some value to the union and perhaps are generating more money than people had been led to believe?

He said he hoped that Scotland would take its chance to become an independent country and then asked if I was looking for a husband, as he'd always fancied living up north. If he hadn't been at least 60-plus I might have considered it.

As I drove away I couldn't stop thinking how simple and straightforward independence was for that man, and it absolutely confirmed to me what I've known for some time now.

The Yes campaign isn't about politicians, it's a grassroots movement of ordinary people like you and I, it's about change, it's about taking ownership of our future and our children's future in Scotland and it's about overwhelming exhilarating hope.

We can't and won't be ruled by fear, because let's be clear there are absolutely no guarantees of a better future if we remain part of the UK and we certainly can't know for sure if these extra powers that have been promised to us by Gordon Brown in the last few days will even materialise should we vote No.

Comedian and writer Rab Florence summed up this last ditch attempt from the No Campaign perfectly on Twitter by saying "Better Together have launched Operation Buy Flowers From The All Night Garage".

I can't tell you how to vote and I totally respect absolutely everyone's right to make up their own minds, but I can tell you why I'm voting yes.

I don't ever want to look back in my life and have any regrets. I want the happiest and brightest future for my country and I truly wholeheartedly believe that the only way to achieve that is by allowing us to be in control of that future.

Sure voting Yes is a leap of faith, but we all take leaps of faith every single day of our lives without ever knowing what the outcome may be, whether it is getting married, buying a house, quitting our jobs to change careers and mortgaging everything we own to start up our own business - and why do we take such risks?

Because we believe in ourselves, we listen to our gut instincts and we take that leap of faith to better our future and the future of our families.

Whatever the outcome next Thursday, Scotland and its people have been changed as a result of this referendum.

Please may you all use your vote and not let it go to waste - and above all don't let fear, either way, cloud your decision.

This is our time, our moment, our chance for our voices to be heard loud and clear - so please make your vote count.