Dear readers: As we approach the end of another year, I wanted to drop by and share my thoughts with you and for this year I’d like to use some words of wisdom that were sent to me by a very special lady; Denise Sanders and she did this when I was president of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians.
Here goes:
“In every journey there is meaning.
In every conflict, there is growth.
In every action, there is purpose.
In every moment of doubt,
Remember to believe!”
Very strong words sent to me by a very powerful lady and these are ones that I shall treasure always.
I can only say that at the very best, 2016 was a year that was made up of an interesting bag of ingredients for me. Success, some setbacks, and personal losses dominated 2016 for me.
2016 was a very enlightening year for me. So many experiences and lessons surrounded me and I hope that I can use them all to help me move forward. Life for me continued to change and evolve and I continued to travel the long road and fight the good fight. I continued to give, share, receive, and accept. I continued to learn, listen, and understand but most of all! I continued to believe!
I learned how to accept my losses while at the same time count my blessings and it all took place after the passings of Kathy Gooch, Coranna Lee, Randy Sharrard, and Richard Quan.
These four people were my blessings, privileges and honours to have known and I am eternally grateful for having them come into my life. I counted my blessings and accepted these losses.
There are so many role models that I continued to look up to and what I learned by year’s end is that it is someone like Carrie Fisher whose memories will continue to give women the strength to light their candles and carry them along the road. Carrie was strong, honest, and never afraid to admit her shortcomings and this is what made her so successful.
Carrie Fisher has left an everlasting legacy for us to reach out and grab and the passing of her mom Debbie Reynolds just within a day after Karrie’s death is yet another sad and bitter lesson for us to learn; true love between mom and daughter and how a broken heart lead to Debbie’s death.
There are so many things in life that we take for granted; anything from the smallest to the largest things and more often than not we fail to remember that there are others out there who are so much less fortunate. How often do we take relationships for granted and in so doing we fail to reciprocate or be thankful for those around us. How often do we forget to thank God for what we have; food, luxuries, necessities, and so much more?
I am extremely grateful for all of the gifts and blessings that I have personally received this year and continue to receive. For great family and friends, for a wonderful life in my home country of Canada, for good health, for food on my table, but above all! Blessings and compassion from God!
We need to be more mindful of each other’s time, efforts, and feelings. We need to be more mindful of what goes on around us! We need to show more patience, tolerance, and compassion. We need to keep remembering to say please and thank you each time we ask and each time we receive!
Each time we turn on our taps, let us not forget that we are extremely lucky to have running water as there are so many others who do not. Each time we sit down to a warm and sumptuous meal, let us not forget that somewhere in this world there is a child crying out for food.
Each time we access the Internet. let us not forget that for so many in far corners of our globe this is but just a dream and finally!
Let us be thankful that we can still speak freely, breathe easily, and much more.
I wish each of you all good things for 2017.
With very best wishes,
Donna J. Jodhan
President Sterling Creations