Celebrating

Amy reminds us this is the season for celebrating – but in reality, we are of course free to celebrate anything worth celebrating! My choices are some of the celebrations I have always loved, and they will forever stay with me.

The opener is my celebration of winter and snow.

Throughout my working life as a teacher, I have been fortunate to follow many lovely students graduate every year in June. They celebrate their achievements as students, and the beginning of a new life.

Walking is a passion with me, and seeing the pilgrims’ arriving in Santiago de Compostela – after struggling on the roads and paths for months, weeks and days – I know their feat is worthy of a great celebration.

Another passion of mine is flowers. Celebrating spring flowers in Holland, Keukkenhof, is indeed a festival for all senses. We have visited three times so far – and hopefully we will get the chance to go again.

Christmas is coming – and even though it does not hold the same magic now as when I was a child, I can still remember that tingling feeling. And celebrating the children coming home, candles lit, parcels made, dogs cuddled and birds fed – is a complete joy. Even more so when there is snow!

Finally, the New Year…My grandmother never liked this celebration, and I share her thoughts… more and more each year. She was a hard working country woman who struggled through life to make ends meet, and she always feared the next year would never bring her much good. My own generation belongs to the lucky ones in many ways, but ahead of us lies tough tasks in order to save our planet – because we don’t want to leave those troubles to the next generation, do we? Let’s mend the world while we can.