2015 Has Been & Will Be Soon Be Gone

Well BookLovers, it's been ... A YEAR .. hasn't it?

We've had so many fabulous books that have hit our shelves this year, we've re-read ones we've loved, and we've discovered ones we never knew were actually OUT there.

These books have been our saving grace at times, our sanctuary, our escape from daily life, anxieties, worries, and troubles. For a while they allowed us to forget. These books have taken us on holidays to places we might never go physically, we've fallen in love with the dreamiest of hunks, we've sobbed our hearts out at the pain characters have felt - somehow numbing our own pain, we've danced excitedly when we finally hold that precious book in our hands (Oh I know you do the dance too), we've sniffed and stroked the pages like we do to comfort a child.

I know from the people in my life (including you my darling readers) that for some of us, this year has been one of sadness, pain, worries and anxiety. If someone were to describe it as a "Rollercoaster" of a year, I know we might say in reply... "Oh that doesn't even cut it... to say its an understatement would be an understatement itself", we may even add in a few expletives. I'm sat here this morning at 10:37am on New Years Eve 2015 writing this to say that, sweetheart ... I KNOW. I really do. It's a year that many of us will NEVER forget, and one that many of us likely would love to forget it. We've had a tough year so be kind to yourself, allow yourself moments to reflect, to cry, to scream and get angry. It's OK. But we also have to reach a point where we say to ourselves, OK, I want to try and get my life back now. It may come in a sudden burst or it may come in fits and starts, but you will get there I promise. (I'm telling myself this as much as I'm telling you too, so you truly are NOT alone).

Now, for those of you lovely readers who have had the most fantastic year, I am so thrilled for you, I genuinely am. Everyone deserves happiness and a life filled with love, good memories, good health, and surrounded by good people. I don't think there is much to say to you other than, keep going, keep reminding yourself of how far you've come, think about all the awesome things that have happened this year (we can all join in with this), and be so so grateful for them. Hold on to them closely and love them with all you have.

Many book bloggers are posting a round-up of their top books from 2015, but I can't do that and I don't want to. Each book i've read, each book i've touched this year has in someway touched me and will stay with me forever. Every author has worked hard this year to write their books, to make them as perfect for them and as perfect for us as they could have done, and we've loved them haven't we? So if I were on stage addressing you all right now i'd say, "Let's give a huge round of applause to all the authors this year, they should be SO proud of themselves and their books".

<Cue Applause>

So, what do we do now? We look forward, we hold hope in our hearts, even with shaky hands, we intend to do our best, to be happy, we promise to be grateful for the people in our lives whom we love, and we vow to never forget the ones we've lost. We grasp a tissue, we hold our necklace pendant, we stroke the precious ear-rings/bracelet/watch filled with memories, we talk to the photographs. We never forget. We never stop loving. We never stop being grateful. We never stop trying.

And...

We take a deep breath, or several. We start by doing one tiny thing to prepare for 2016 and all that we want it to be. We think about the year to come and all the good things just waiting to happen, to be experienced, to be enjoyed. We feel a twitch at the corner of our mouths, and we start to smile, to dream, to hope, to wish. And just like that, we move one step forward at a time. We are all here together, we are in this together, and whilst as a planner I can't wait to Plan my 2016, I also know and appreciate that no amount of planning can prepare us for what's ahead, but it can give us guideposts, a helping hand, that tiny bit of encouragement, and a dream to follow.

So from the very bottom of my heart I wish you all, Readers, Bloggers, Authors, Publishers, a very Happy New Year filled with love, joy, happiness, good health, fond memories, wealth and abundance, vitality and peace, calmness and excitement, and I look forward to sharing the next year of our lives together, wherever that may take us. 

I love you xxx

Dawn xxx 

I would like to dedicate this post to the two most special people in my life who unfortunately we lost this year, my Darling Princess Pepsie, and My Beautiful Auntie Tracy.

You may be in heaven, and life will never be the same again without you, but you will always be in our hearts and remembered xxxxxxxx I love you both so much xxxxxxxx