Hi everyone, welcome to this first week of December. Summer has arrived in her glory. Here in Auckland we’re slowly enjoying our new found freedom as lockdown restrictions ease. This first post from me is actually one on my personal growth, healing and indulgence. I thought I should reflect on the year that has passed and share a bit of what I’ve been through.
Where to begin…the lockdowns we’ve had so far I suppose would be a good starting point. What an experience that was!! The longest one Auckland had was from mid-August until mid-November. Mind you, if you knew my family you would marvel I lasted that long with them!! I’m joking here but there were a few days when my patience was severely tested. Since last year I’ve had a few health issues crop up. My doctor has diagnosed a touch of rheumatoid arthritis and since it was caught early they were able to recommend treatments with a course of medications that help me manage the pain. The road to recovery is never easy one for anyone. There were days when I had very little energy or mobility to do any of my blog prep and the frustration would mount. Reading was one of the few activities I could do. Long walks with my family over dry days were also a bonus. My sister from across the seas recommended I try meditation. Some days these would work and others would be a struggle. I’m happy to say I’m getting there, slowly and surely. With the support of my family, my work friends, and my belief in my own strength I know I’ll come to a place where this pain will pass.
Talking about places, I’m also happy to tell you all that I’m no longer living with my extended family. Earlier this year I moved to a small rental unit a bit closer to the library I work in. The quicker commute makes such a huge difference. Breakfast is taken a bit leisurely and I could even stop at the supermarket without being late for dinner. It helped a fair bit in managing my health and I loved having all of my books and paintings around me. I still visited my nieces and my parents would stay a few nights to begin with. It worked out until this last lockdown when I came back to my family bubble. I’m back now and enjoying the little garden I have! Plans for the summer are in the works, so wish me luck!!
In my first month this year I talked about a collection of resolutions I intended to work on. The thing with resolutions is that no matter how strong your intention is to work on them, sometimes the hurdles life throws at you actually have the power to claim your intention. I’m happy to say that I’ve read a few more Fantasy and Sci fi titles. It might be a while before I feel brave enough to write about them though. I know I said I’d done research into sharing my posts on other social media platforms and I am happy to tell you that this is definitely one of my summer plans!! Writing my blog posts, especially these personal ones, has begun to loosen my writing muscle. I have started a small project of a personal nature; one that takes the form of letters in the cutest notebook with really small spaces between the lines. The reason: I can write as much or as little as I want!! The letters are for….a special group of people!! Why in letters you ask? I enjoy the format of letters, they can either tell a story or share emotions. There’s also a seed of a story that has started to grow in a part of my mind thanks to this. The challenge: to make it cohesive as it’s quite jumbled at the moment. Don’t worry, I’ll start writing it down soon and hopefully as the new year begins maybe it might grow into a sapling!! My intentions of being more active are slowly unfolding too. While in lockdown with my family I enjoyed early morning walks with my parents and hanging out with my two energetic nieces always kept the heart pumped! I’m hoping to maintain this routine and may even add a bit of yoga or pilates over summer.
Summer may come at the end of our year, but it’s the start of a new beginning for me. I hope and wish all of you over in the northern countries a restful Christmas season and warmth to tide over your colder months!!
Stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 