The end of 2022

 How to define 2022?

As usual, the wonderful art (and tradition) by the wonderful artist Lelia.  I fell in love with her art in 2011 and as soon as she started this tradition, I just embraced it all together :D  With this, of course, I always attached a little reflection on the year that passed and wishes for the year to come. 

Complex. Intense. Fulfilling...

I will start by wishing you the best holiday season to all of you.  I know that the year has been quite intense for some of you, quite fulfilling for others, and quite exciting as well. I can only hope that 2023 would sort things out in a positive way. I can only hope that you will keep on exploring and experimenting. I can only hope that you will keep on taking care of yourselves, your needs, your dreams, and your desires and for those who couldn't rest this year, I can wish you all the rest possible. I know it's a bit cheesy, but I really want you to have a better 2023, far better than 2022, and be much happier. 

Man, I thought 2021 would be the end of it, but then my dad was diagnosed with a serious illness that nearly took his life. Some friends still got that short end of the stick. Despite my good intentions, the holiday season at the end of 2021 was a nightmare because I thought I would lose my dad. I had to make some sacrifices I won't discuss here but, things looked bleak on my end. I am still hurting from the death of my friend Colleen and that only stressed me about losing my loved ones. 2022 was tough, honestly, I spent the whole year terrified and exhausted. Being the caretaker of my dad, while also ensuring that my sisters didn't burn out had been extremely challenging.  To make matters even worse, not only were we forced to move out of the house we rented (the owner wanted to sell it), but my twin sister got recently diagnosed with another serious illness that left me terrified of losing her too. So of course, the end of that year is spent packing, supervising visits to our house, and caring for my twin while she's still working. it's rough, but we take it one day after the other.  And I can only hope that the worst of it is behind us.

The year had not just been challenging. I count my blessings because I was able to have a very intense and positive year at a very personal level. My partner and I keep on strengthening our bond. I'm happy with him. I really am. I finished my first draft. Proofread it and will be ready to correct, translate and professionally edit the book come next year. It's something I never thought could happen. I have been working on the book for so long now and had to build everything from scratch,  I had doubts, hesitated, hated myself and cried and screamed, and tried to delete everything but in the end, I made it happen. I finished the first draft and I am motivated to keep on working on it and finally present to you a final product. This is extremely exciting and I feel grateful to have been able to get there. I count my blessings because I was able to travel more this year. I discovered Italy, the UK, and Greece, and returned to Belgium and some other places in France. I conquered my fear of planes, and I conquered my fear of the sea (and the cold sea at that) and that felt great. I swam at sea!!! 

I count my blessings because this had also been a year that tested my friendship with people. It helped me go deeper with some of them and cut ties with some others that were not positive for me. Sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, if spending time with them or interacting with them in one way or another end up making you feel awful, then it's best to put an end to it.  I feel better, definitely better because of this. I felt privileged to share my friends' important moments and to be a friend to them to my best abilities.  I was able to meet new people, broaden my cycle of friends, to grow more comfortable in my skin. I still continue my therapy, still, take care of my mental health and still fuel my creativity.  It's been a really good year and I really loved it. I can only wish that the year to come, would top it off or be even better. 

I really hope that you will have a wonderful end of the year and that 2023 would treat you better. 

May