Reflecting on 2022: A Year of Challenges and Joy

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Reflecting on 2022, as we approach the end of the year, it’s been a year of challenges and moments of joy.

Challenges – global and personal

2022 turned out to be an incredibly challenging year for all of us, I think. Just as we emerged from the pandemic, thinking life would return to ‘normal’, we witnessed Russia invade Ukraine. That was followed by chaos at No 10 Downing Street and a cost of living crisis that has left many people and businesses struggling to get by. On a personal level, work has been very challenging too. Dad was in hospital with pneumonia and two aunts passed away within weeks of one another. I felt my world got smaller in some ways.

Moments of joy and gratitude

Thankfully, though, there were also many happy moments, visiting beautiful gardens and seeing my own little garden overflowing with flowers during the summer. I was inspired by trips to our spectacular coast. I enjoyed a relaxing weekend break at The Salthouse Hotel in Ballycastle as well as some lovely times with family, drinking rose to the wee small hours on warm summer nights. My love of reading returned when autumn arrived. I read some wonderful, page turning, heart warming books that I am sure I will read again. By the way, I highly recommend The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.

In fact, I had lots of joyful moments. It is only on reflection sometimes that you come to realise this and how much there is to be grateful for.

And on that note, I’ll leave you with some of my favourite images from 2022. I look forward to sharing more with you in 2023. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read my blog, for your lovely comments and I wish you all a happy, healthy and hopeful 2023.