Full Circle Moment 2020
On September 28th, 2020, my husband and I celebrated 21 years since we left the country of our birth, South Africa, to start a new life in Canada. We landed in Toronto, Ontario, and began all the things immigrants have to do, like learning to drive on the other side of the road.
Memories
I remember taking photographs of the first snow flurry and of the squirrels in the yard, like a real noobie. Those were the days when shoveling snow was fun. Now, not so much. We got to carve our first ever pumpkin. Yes, we were like kids. Back then, everything was new and unfamiliar.
I wrote a piece about our first Christmas and New Year in Canada which is included in the Christmas with Hot Apple Cider anthology, titled From Sea Sand to Snowflakes.
Celebrating the 21st Anniversary of our Arrival
On the day of our arrival anniversary, I went in search of our old photo albums. And by albums, I mean the ones with printed photos in them. While rummaging through them, I came across a photo taken during that very first Fall.
I’m not going to lie, but I got goosebumps.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that the view over my shoulder of the Rainbow Bridge, a bridge that links Canada and the USA, would have such significance.
Twenty years after this photo was taken I signed a publishing contract for my debut fiction novel. I sent in some ideas for the cover. A few things I requested were that there be no people on the front, and I noted the significance of exotic birds to the story. Other than that, the cover design was in the hands of my publisher.
Click below to reveal the moment that gave me goosebumps:
If you look closely, on the cover is that very same rainbow ridge from the vantage point of Niagara Falls, Canada where my photo was taken all those years ago.
I didn’t know back then that I’d become a freelance writer and author. Having spent 10 years in the writing industry, I smile thinking about all the wonderful friends I’ve made along the way.
I’ve written so many words… and sometimes us writers wonder if they’ll ever make an impact. Sending our words out there into the world is a risk, and we birth our creations with pain and anguish sometimes, but in the hopes that they’ll make the world a better place. At least, that’s what I hope my written and published word will do.
All these years later, a moment like this feels like a little whisper from above saying, “Keep going. Keep dreaming.”
In the meantime, when this anniversary rolls around again in another 10 years’ time, I’m excited to see what new circles have closed.
Dreams really do come true, even the ones you didn’t know you’d dream. For me, this was a full-circle moment.
Have you ever had a full-circle moment?
Melony Teague writes contemporary romance with a dash of humor, she loves to inspire and motivate others through her written words, and she believes everyone has a story to tell. Melony is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Word Guild. She is the co-author of As the Ink Flows, a devotional for authors. Her fiction debut, A Promise to Keep released, Jan 21, 2020. Melony was born in South Africa and now lives in Toronto with her handsome husband, their two teenagers, and does the bidding of her two adorable cats.
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