This post ends a chapter in the book of life, as we see the sun setting in 2022. The good news is that in the days to come the sun will once again start to rise on the prosperity of the new year, and the dawn of 2023 will be upon us.  As every good thing must come to and end, so too is another great moment behind it and we must all be optimistic about what is on the horizon for us.  New challenges, exciting events and moments that will bring family and friends together.  These are the things which I have attempted to capture in this project over the past year. 

Through The Lens, was a project I set about to capture of a meaningful, inspirational picture from my phone each week of the year (52 posts in all) and share it with everyone. But also to take time to write about the happy, important, awe-inspiring moments that happen every single week in a given year.  This project has seen its challenges, at times I felt like I was a bit behind. Other times, I struggled to find something in a given week to post about. But I made time to ensure that it was completed and that I didn’t falter on it.  In the end, its been a joy to complete, and looking back it brings a smile to my face, seeing all the things that we have gone through in 2022.  Now there were many other moments not captured in Through the Lens, as it was only one picture each week.  Moments of sorrow for us, weeks where there were multiple things going on, and the stuffed we dealt with as the pandemic ensued.  But in all, it was a brief glimpse into life for us in 2022.

I’m not ready to give up this project yet, and close the book, but rather turn the page to a fresh sheet and continue.  For how long, I am unsure. We will go at it in blocks of time, and who knows in 12 months from now I will be once again writing a message to close the chapter in 2023. I know as I move into 2023, journal writing is something that I want to get better at and do more frequently.  Through the lens may transform into something else, or it may complement other writing. We can only wait and see.

This week’s image was taken a few weeks back while in Gagetown. But the context surrounding it is actually perfect for this moment, which I share with you now.  Cold, tired, and exhausted as we left the mess hall, feeling defeated and out of every bit of energy. I took a moment to look up and saw the most beautiful light of the orange sky, the yellow sun hiding and the brisk air, and just stopped in my tracks and took it all in.  It was at that moment that I smiled, for it didn’t matter how tired I was, or how mentally defeated I was then.  It was a moment of peace and happiness that I got to experience and knew that all was going to be OK and that all this was for the greater good.