6

Facebook memories tells me that this blog is 6 years old today. Its one of those things that both feels far older, but also not that long ago. Time is very elastic it seems

It started life as a food blog. Sharing recipes from my life. I love food, I love trying new foods, ways of cooking and am definitely a fan of the slow food movement. I had been sharing recipes on a FB page, and blogging seemed the natural progression.

Eventually though I realised that while I love to cook, I am a “handful” cook – a handful of this, a pinch of that. I have to be honest, I found the whole process of weighing, measuring, testing and precision to be quite tedious… And then I realised that I much preferred writing the story that went with the recipe – yes I was one of those hideous bloggers that made you wade through paragraphs of story before you came to the actual recipe. 😂

The process did not feed my soul. I did love the staging and the research though. But it was the story telling that really fired me up.

Around that time, we had the horrific Mosque Massacre in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Followed closely by the pandemic, and I found I needed to use my words differently. I was in early recovery from MH problems, and for a while I couldn’t write about them here – I did find another blog to contribute to. So I’ve let this blog evolve as it should…

I’ve written 119 blogs – this will be 120, which is a nice round number Lol. I’ve written regularly; I’ve written sporadically. I’ve done writing challenges – where others give me a topic and I have a time restraint to publish it by. I’ve written a bit of poetry; the occasional bit of fiction; but mainly I’ve written whatever is floating around my head. Some blogs flow, some take a lot of polishing, deleting, re-writing, editing and days.I have dozens of started blogs. Ideas I had while walking or driving that don’t stay put long enough to appear fully formed here. I should revisit them, and give them a bit of a polish… .

Some I wrestle with, some are just like the smoothest of caramels – rich, lush and easy. But I never know which ones will fly, and which ones with just sit there. I know algorithms have a huge say in how many people actually get to see them.But I am a firm believer in the Universe evolving as it should – so I know there is a purpose out there, that is not mine to ponder.

I have found my muse loves to travel. I love to write in airports, on ferries, from hotels, on trains. I particularly love to wite on a balcony over some sublime view, at the end of a day – perfect.

I have always known I could write – words run through my family. But I never thought I had anything to say. I have long ago given away that great novel all writers aspire to. That isn’t in me; but this, this sharing my thoughts, finding the perfect picture to accompany the words; this, often, stream of consciousness, is now where I feel the best.

Coming out about MH was a biggie for me. Not that I was ashamed, or concerned what people would think. But we sadly don’t live in a world where it is a comfortable subject – yet. One of the things I have learned with hanging out with others in recovery, is that a story shared can inspire someone. Make them feel less alone; make them understand that they are not that different from others. All that I share here from my recovery story has been gifted to me by others. All that I have learned, is only of value if I pass it on. We talked about that today – the ripples of Recovery. What I hear, I share; what I share, I hear someone else share….. and so on. There is comfort in all of that. There is strength to be found in all of that… And I hope, occasionally, one of my readers reads something that resonates, gives them something to think about, or makes them feel less alone.

I have used this blog to learn more about Aotearoa, New Zealand and her languages and cultures. It gives me such joy to share some Te Reo, the language, with you all. I honour the Tangata Whenua – the Māori, the people who have shared this special space with us. Their culture welcomes – and feeds, no wonder I feel so at home here. I am blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, with people who are kind, joyful, adventurous, brave, resilient. Whose view on life is both casual and compassionate. We may live on a group of islands isolated; but that has created who we are as a people. We punch well above our weight on the world stage, but our sheer lack of numbers gives us a closeness others don’t understand.

So 6 years, 120 blogs? I am so grateful for every person who has stopped by and read. I am grateful for all those who support me. It was a GIANT leap of faith to start and an even bigger one to really tell my tale. I have often pushed the publish button with my eyes closed and my finger’s crossed. But I publish every time.

Am I a writer? I write, and people read, and so I think I qualify lol. But without your continued participation, I would just be sending words into the ether, so thank you from the bottom of my heart

My Whakataukī, proverb for today, is normally attributed to the gift of a Pounamu – the greenstone of Aotearoa. It is one of our most precious Taonga, treasures; so I find the words very fitting today

E iti noa ana nā te aroha

A small thing given with love