“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.” Anonymous
I can’t believe another year is coming to a close. I say this every year, sometimes several times throughout the year. “Can you believe it’s already April?” Or. “It’s summer. Where did spring go?” Or. “The colours are changing. Wasn’t summer incredibly short this year?”
Rather than complain about where all the time has gone, I thought it might be more useful to reflect on the year that was, maybe recapture some of its special memories.
I spent two months in Greece in the spring finalizing my novel, The Brink of Freedom. My 86-year-old father accompanied us on the trip. I loved spending time with him wandering the streets of Athens, having coffee (well, hot or cold chocolate for me) in various hole-in-the-wall coffee shops, and just hanging out.
My American cousin and her husband also came over for a week. It was the first time they’d been to Greece and it was truly wonderful showing them around the country I love and introducing them to our larger extended family.
And speaking of extended family, we stumbled on relatives my dad didn’t know he had. That adventure which I’ve blogged about extensively this year also became the genesis for a new novel that is now kicking around in my brain. Hope to get something down on paper in the New Year.
I was nominated for a Whistler Chamber of Commerce award this year: Champion of the Arts, then later short-listed among a group of all-star finalists. When I won that award I was humbled and thankful for all the support I received from both the art and business community in Whistler. And, I thought about my mother and how ridiculously proud she always was of me.
The festival I organize each year took another leap forward in 2015. In our 14th year, we again increased attendance and added an extra day to the festival. Support−both financial and human−has continued to drive us onward.
My new novel, The Brink of Freedom was released on October 1st. The novel has received good reviews and it’s allowed me to give something back to an issue very dear to my heart – the refugee crisis in Greece. Some of the proceeds from sales of The Brink will be donated at the end of 2015 to the Red Cross specifically for their work with refugees in Greece. The Canadian government will match that contribution until December 31st.
As I write this, I can’t help but think about my mother. Again. Always. As I said, she was so steadfast in her support of everything I did. She’s also the one who taught me the importance of giving back. From collecting food for the food bank, buying toys for less fortunate children or feeding our neighbourhood’s children, she used to say, “we have enough to share”.
As I write this, I can’t help the tears these memories bring. Yes, I can see where the time has gone. And I also realize, for the millionth time, how much I miss my mother. I know she’s still in my corner. So despite the tears, I am also very thankful.
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