New Year, New Adventure

“Where one door closes, another opens.” The view from 2024 differs dramatically from where I stood at the beginning of last year. I look at the road before me with new eyes and wonder where the path will lead. Last year’s journey was not without confusion, frustration and deep disappointment. Having said that, I’m mindful of dear friends and loved ones who faced dire challenges in 2023, some still battling to survive. I keep you in my heart and my prayers. 

A significant door closed for me in April, and with faith, I decided to step into the unknown. By May, an unexpected window opened, assuring me that my decision to leave was right. That window, as Maria called it in The Sound of Music, led to other open windows. By the end of 2023, my feet were walking the path of a grand writing adventure: a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Graduate work has never been on my to-do list, nor has it been a goal in my life. Yet, here I am, reading novels, memoirs, and scripts while typing away on my keyboard. I’d forgotten how electrifying the thrill of meeting various writing deadlines can be.

My first Mountainview Residency involved story workshops, craft workshops, student readings, author readings, Q & As, and socializing and networking with fellow writers from all walks of life. Did I mention the joy of putting pen to paper and filling a notebook? My journey across the country to the land of Robert Frost in the dead of winter was challenging. I experienced weather-related flight delays and cancellations but made it there and back. The beauty of New England did not disappoint. Red brick buildings built in the late 1800s and restored for today’s use were a quaint contrast to modern architecture.

I look forward to throwing my book bag over my shoulder again when I return for the summer residency. 

Sometimes, we walk out the door with a spring in our step, while other times, we limp off worse for the wear. One thing is sure: every ending leads to a new beginning. This year, I will face the rising sun, looking for the windows and leaving behind the closed doors.