Thank You, 2022!

Dear 2022:

You’ve been on my mind…

You came into my life with a storm and flooded my cabin. I spent hours and hours drying the floor so that the water wouldn’t turn into ice because of freezing temperatures, so our initial encounter was somewhat unpleasant, but this made me install a floor drain in my at-the-time-roofless sunroom. Thanks for the insight.

You allowed me to publish Reflections: A Journey of Transformation, a book that was difficult for me to write. I didn’t like my first draft, so I rewrote it, all of it, in two weeks and spent another four editing it. Thank you for letting the words flow.

You gave me the opportunity to visit Indiana and teach four classes at a prestigious university. I got to work with wonderful students. This allowed me to make published authors out of my writing students and gave me the material for another memoir, Indiana Joes, the second book I published during our time together. Thank you.

You gave me enough sunny days to work on my sunroom, and you sent me someone who needed the scraps from my old cabin, all of which he hauled away, helping me clean up my yard. Thank you for giving me the strength to complete my sunroom and for sending this person my way.

You put obstacles in my way when I wanted to publish my children’s book about Iran, and you did so several times throughout the year. I always knew there was something to it, but I didn’t know the reason. Now I do…

You started the chain of events that led to a revolution in Iran and gave my people enough fuel to begin their fight against evil, a fight that has continued into its fourth month. Thank you for this fuel that sadly came in the form of a human sacrifice, and thank you for giving me the skills to tell the world about everything that followed. 

You gave me time with my beloved dogs — time I cherish dearly. Thank you.

I am grateful for you and for my journey with you. I hope your successor is as kind as you.

Gratitude & Hope...

Noosha Ravaghi

 

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