This end of this week marks a new year for us.
It happens to be my favourite day of the year, simply because we get one.
A decade ago, I was watching people literally fight for their lives and breathe a sigh of relief because they got a new year, they made it.
I worked for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, Edmonton and surrounding area. My job was to raise awareness and funds to support blood cancer patients in our area.
I worked with many prominent St. Albert residents in supporting swab clinics, at awareness events with me in either blood donor drives for their children or as awareness for adults who were fighting, who fought, or who lost their lives to blood cancer.
Watching that and seeing so much loss changed me as a person. Those people were fighting to live and saw joy in life, not a burden. They saw a new day and had hope or made peace with the days they had because they didn’t have a choice.
I never knew strength until then. It has stayed with me, and I remind myself that I have a choice.
I promise you I am not the same person who came into 2021. I learned to set boundaries, to remember my own worth, advocate for change, recognize when something does not align with my values. In short, I lost at life in 2021, and that loss could have created a victim, but I took some chances at growth I never thought I would take.
I will walk into 2022 not regretting a thing and for that, I am so grateful. It would be my wish for all of us to do exactly that — walk into it reflecting on what was and having the strength to make it what we want it to be.
We could learn something from these seasons if we stopped for a minute to try; accept the change, don’t force growth — it will come when it's ready, savour the warmth and harvest its bounty and rest (yes, allow ourselves to rest).
Days are getting longer my friends. We know once we get past these next few months, the world renews itself again and soon we will be surrounded by the Earth’s gifts.
I urge you to reflect, reorganise your priorities if you aren’t happy with where you are at, and rejoice in planning for an incredible year to come. Be safe.
Katie Suvanto is a mother of three whose oldest son was born in St. Albert. She is exploring her Indigenous heritage and raising a child who lives with autism.
