I don’t normally take vacation especially at Christmas, but this Christmas I decided to take a rest and now I am recharging for the following year. Because I was selling my second book/ebook after placing it on facebook groups I belonged to, I decided to read it myself from a fresh pair of eyes. I pondered at my views at the time, my experiences, some written and others came to mind. I marvelled at what I had accomplished, my travels, my work, my energy. I have worked with some great guys. Yes, there were those who I didn’t care for but it also taught me tolerance. Up until I joined the military I only associated with those who I wanted to. My mother was right, that it would be difficult but I am grateful for the opportunity because I am a better person for it. At one point I write that if I had remained in Toronto with my family and friends I would have been happy, but I would not have grown. When I retired I was offered amazing opportunities but I needed to be home and I am glad that I made that decision, because it was not the right time to move again away from my family and home. I am at a comfortable place in my life. I have slowed down and I am ok with it, but boy did it take awhile. A few years back I read my elementary school journal a teacher encouraged us to write. I continued for quite a few years after high school. I marvelled at how much energy I had, dancing, swimming, skating going to school, parties and working part time since I was thirteen years old. Boy, what a life, full of discovery, errors, building resilience and having a genuine love for life. My life has also always been a service to others including my country. Would I do it all over again. Nope. I would want to try new things, explore more places, have different arenas of study. It would be out with the old and in with the new. One of the themes I read was that I need to grow and learn and to be free. I am still on that path of helping others and realized the importance of psychotherapy during my time in the Middle East where I became a trusted ear for those who seeked me out. I have never shared what I heard and never shall. Though I wasn’t a therapist, I realized the need that people have to feel free to talk and release the burden they held onto for many years. I am always looking forward to the next phase of my life. Will it be another career, another place of travel? Right now I have the responsibility of taking care of my elderly pets who seem to need more attention from me than ever. I oblige but sometimes it is rather smothering having them all over me, but I oblige out of love. I cannot imagine not having four legged creatures in my life but realize the responsibility of life long commitments. My last pet was 19 years old when I had to put him down and it was after a small fortune of trying to save him. That little guy saw me while retiring from one career, diving into another and retiring once again and then seeing me in my first years of grad studies. What a precious gift. My book is a legacy of sorts of my life. I sometimes encourage my clients to write their stories because it is quite therapeutic. However, since I deal with a lot of trauma, I encourage them to stop if they are overwhelmed and bring it into the therapy room to work on. Some do not want to journal and that is ok. People know what works for them and what does not and what they need or can work during the stage that they are in. Some have been so overwhelmed from their early years and once they write they can remember good times as well and good people who were in their lives, and they are amazed by that. The bad, at times can overpower any positivity so that has always been refreshing for my clients. I am in a good place because I can do what I want. Yes, I have some obstacles because of the rules and regulations I need to abide in. I had really wanted to live in the States and here and thought I could since I brought my work on line, but there are obstacles there. I always play by the rules so I refrain from being naughty (hear that Santa?). I can’t work in the States for more than a year (our rules). I can’t make money by taking work away from Americans if I decided to work in the States in the winter (their rules, I believe) etc….I am sure that with the times, the rules will change. People are providing therapy throughout the world right now which we can’t from Ontario. Our college is quite severe here in Ontario. Out West they have no regulations and people with an undergrad degree are providing services and going through insurance. So many standards and not, in the entire country. However, what I am seeing is therapists consulting world wide. I can consider that but not right now and I would definitely charge a lot more like my peers for that, but then there is the question of taxes. Since Revenue Canada made my life a nightmare last year, I have decided to do my own taxes this year. I took two mini courses. I can claim 50% of my laptop I bought and so will be doing that. It is kind of sad when you have to do your own taxes because your accountant made a royal…………….Revenue Canada cannot recommend accountants so I am just going to do my own as I used to. Of course I asked some questions like can I claim pro bono that I was not provided an answer to. I paid my fees for my college and Associations for another year. My pets are still thriving though elderly and so I am still grounded. The pandemic has really restricted me but that is ok. I am double vaccinated with pfizer and am waiting for the opportunity to get my booster. I am not willing to line up for six hours. For you who have read me for awhile, know that I am a Disney nut and the only time I have ever lined up for was Mickey Mouse for his autograph which I claimed was for my nieces. I don’t recall if I kept it or gave it to them. Anyhow, Toronto has already had about a half million people getting their third shot. The Premiere has had anti vaccinator dissidents protesting outside his home so he went to his cottage. Of course that got a mini uproar but I can’t blame him. Why would you go home where a crowd is causing a disturbance and the news showed someone using a flashlight beaming into his home windows. Personally, I think there should be a law that people can only protest at the government buildings even though I hated that when going to school at UofT. Disturbing neighbours on residential streets has nothing to do with the protestor rights. Whose rights are we protecting when people cannot go to work at hospitals or get the care they need without being harassed? Toronto the good, I miss you. However, we have many many wonderful people who do so much for others. There is a greater divide due to lack of increases in pay. People should start paying their employees rather than disturbing and making a mess with junk in space. Remember that car? Really? Food prices will increase this year and a family of four will have to pay about 14,000 or 15,000 a year. How can people feed their families and pay rent if they are making the minimum pay? We have a lot of work to do, but I have hope for us and just in case hope is not enough, I have plans to travel as much as possible and see what I have yet to see before we do too much damage to our planet. We live in such a beautiful world and the majority are good. We are a tad rough and not too bright as a professor needed to research to determine. Remember him? He thought he was enlightening me that the average person was not all that bright. My response…..”You needed research to figure that one out?” Yup, just look at the world and all the dictatorship, hate etc…..Does that really make sense? That too is just a fallacy. But again we have amazing people and we need to connect better and display more love for each other. That is not easy at times because some take advantage of it. This Christmas why not think back on this last year and thank God for the blessings you have encountered. It may be one positive experience or more. The pandemic has been challenging for many. What have you learned from that? Has it made your family closer or has there been more of a divide? Sometimes we can lose sight to what is important. What is important to you? Have you shown kindness? Merry Christmas to you all and yours and Happy Holidays. I have had an amazing year and am looking forward to the next surprise. Santa sorry I did not write to you this year personally. But, I promise I have been good because quite frankly I had no choice. There is a pandemic and I am keeping my tiny family safe. What do you think? P.S. For anyone buying a book, I will include Hey Guy Buy Me. That is for actual books and not ebooks. I will just throw it in with either The Internet Murders or For Love of Country - Military Policewoman. Have fun but be safe.
No comments:
Post a Comment