It’s over and done with. As the month of June comes to a close, so does my month long celebration of twenty years since my kidney transplant.
It’s like I’ve reached some invisible, yet important marker: Now what?
Why not a photo of what is wild and free? (Wild Horses) This makes me think of the expression: “Wild horses could not drag me away from you.” Wow. Just Wow is all I have to say.
Well, there is another event that would shape my life going forward, that took place in 1997, though I had no idea of it occurring.
Read ahead for more on the 20th anniversary of magic as I now know it.
Before I continue, I am including this ink here, rather than trying to add two posts to the linkup.
Check it out if you want to see a few more photos. I had trouble posting because of a few of them causing trouble. The program wouldn’t accept them and I missed the TToT deadline for last week.
I thought about making this a entirely HarryPotter20 thankful post, but I have so many more things to be thankful for this week.
I am thankful for summer solstice.
I got to be in the Yukon just before summer was quite official and it opened my eyes to the differences of the latitude I may be at, all in my own country, and how the sun affects us all.
I’m thankful for a most unexpected gift of a writing deadline extension.
I am writing a short story, one I want to hopefully help move forward our ideas of diverse characters and stories.
Then things got away from me in this chaotic month and the deadline for this was coming up fast.
Suddenly, as I was about to give up because my story wasn’t complete in time, I read about an extension the contest decided on.
I now have until the end of the week and the pressure is mounting once again. I know I can meet that challenge, thanks to something I know I won’t always be able to count on magically appearing when I’m feeling I won’t make the deadline set.
I am thankful for Niagara Falls.
I may have included this before, but once again it surprises and delights me.
I got to experience it from a entirely new vantage point, going along it on a zip line.
It constantly takes my breath away.
I’m thankful for my brother who captures everything I now miss, with his love for photos, that makes me want to cry every time I think about it.
Don’t misunderstand. I am grateful for him, but I feel everything I can not see is the beauty he expertly and lovingly captures with his camera.
I do appreciate the attention he put into documenting our zip lining day in pictures. He will work on them, to make them the best they can be in his eyes, and I will write about what June 24th, 2017 meant to me, as soon as I get through a few other pressing deadlines in these next few weeks.
I am thankful for everyone who took the time out to come with me, to help me celebrate.
They overcame any reservations they may have had and they went zipping down that wire with me.
They even put up with a sudden downpour/hailstorm with me on our way back.
I am thankful said weather event decided to make an appearance right after we completed our mission.
We were all separated, into groups from our bigger group of fifteen, kids in strollers included.
Some of us took shelter inside arcades and some were caught out in it. I was under an awning, with my father and brother-in-law and the two kids, and we just barely stayed dry, but were already soaked anyway.
Dark clouds are a part of life. If you’ve never been soaked and caught in a rainstorm, you’ve not experienced the magic of nature in its entirety.
I am thankful for my mother and my niece and nephew’s other grandma for staying down on the ground to watch the kids.
I know they had their hands full, more than one bathroom visit included.
I am thankful for the last twenty years.
In that time: I got my kidney and Harry Potter was written.
What more than that could I want/need?
I am thankful for what Harry Potter has brought into my life.
20 years later, Harry Potter’s power is still strong (Toronto Star)
It all comes down to the magic. I can venture through adulthood without sacrificing my childlike view of the world, the one I wish was and work for.
J.K. Rowling has had amazing success with the books ever since. That must be a difficult load to carry, the pressure that goes along with success like Harry Potter has brought. On the other hand, it has brought her many great things as a result.
I sometimes want to keep Harry Potter to myself and then I want to hear how it has touched other reader’s lives like it has mine.
We can share in it. Magic is ageless and timeless and this story gives me hope and brings me a kind of faith, I suppose as a religion in a way. This may sound strange to those who never did read Harry Potter, but it feels as real as anything, though it stands as the most successful of fictional worlds.
I realize it means considerably less to some and to some nothing at all, only a book, not representing everyone. I am glad books are constantly being written that could bring people the kind of joy this one has brought me.
Thankful to my friend Kerra for directing me
here
as I explore diversity in my own and other stories.
Now,onto big decisions for my future. There was a discussion about making some changes. I want to share photos here, for my sighted viewers, but recently was having some trouble with that. Also, it was discussed whether me publishing my pictures here makes them property of WP and if I should move all my writing to a site all my own. I am thankful I have a friend who knows what he’s talking about, even a bit, when it comes to all that.
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
—Albus Dumbledore, “Harry Potter)
Her Headache 
I LOVE this. Here’s to our choices and here’s to Niagara and zip lining. You’re amazing and wowza to that. I don’t know if I could do it with my huge fear of heights. I love that you did and HUGE awesome congratulations on 20 years since your transplant. I’m so glad to know you, that it worked, that you’re here.
I’m glad I’m here too. Thanks Kristi.
I am so impressed that you do the zip lining thing. I absolutely do not have the nerve and I know that about myself. More power to you!
Twenty years since your transplant is something to celebrate for sure. Glad you’re here with us.
You have a few things in here that resonate with me very particularly this week. I won’t say which, but thanks for all you’ve included here as some of it makes a great deal of sense to me.
Harry Potter is 20…now THAT is hard to believe.
I just love that my transplant and Harry Potter are both turning twenty this year. Thanks Lisa.
I think everyone of us has been cheering for your plan to zip-line at Niagara and that you have more courage than most of us ever would. You could not pay me enough to try it, but I love the thought of you flying along and what that exhilaration must have felt like! Such a fabulous plan to celebrate twenty years of life that you were given as a gift of ultimate love, with many more to come! I can’t wait to see the photos your brother is editing to document this experience!
I love both the Solstices, marking the turning point in the periods of day and night. I love long evenings, so Summer Solstice is the best of that each year and then Winter Solstice brings promise that the sun will again return to warm us a little more each day!
I was so happy to read that you were blessed with an extension to finish writing your short story. It is so frustrating to be close and then be running out of time. I have every confidence that you will get it finished now and it will be excellent!
Whew, I was glad to read that you were all able to complete the zip line experience before the rainstorm set in! That would have been so defeating, but as it was it just adds one more fun memory to share in years to come, and thankfully you all managed to find shelter or otherwise endure the rain. I bet there was a lot of laughter while you were drying off! Dark clouds are a part of life, as is a little rain, but we don’t melt, and the sun always returns in due time. I think we appreciate it all the more for experiencing the times when it has left us.
I love your love of Harry Potter, your feeling mirrors that of so many friends I know. I am sure when she began writing the series she had no idea how much her words would speak to people, to their hearts and minds. This shows the incredible power of shared written words, and you can keep this as a treasure to remember as you develop your writing craft and prepare to share your own!
Please, please, never sacrifice your belief in the magic of life, the potential for goodness and light. It is still a beautiful world, despite all the darkness that sometimes clouds it over, and as long as we believe we can make it happen!
I will be waiting to see what you decide is the next moves for your future, writing and personally, now that you have crossed this major milestone in your life! Congratulations to twenty years of overcoming, here’s to many more of thriving! Cheering for you all the way, you are a star!! XOXO
I realize I have been talking of the zip lining here for a long time. I can’t believe we did it and it’s over.
They said they keep the zip line going when it rains, but not that kind of rain we were caught in, I don’t think.
We all ran to the vehicles, as soon as it dried up, and went straight to the restaurant to warm up and get something to drink and eat. It was lovely.
Thanks Josie. Writing is full of magic, magic in itself. I don’t plan to stop writing anytime soon. I am submitting that short story today.
I agree, Keri, everyone should have the experience of getting really soaked by a rainstorm at least once in their lives. There were a lot of times when I was a child that I got soaked while doing farm chores.
Unexpected deadline extensions can bring such a sigh of relief!
The photos and videos of Niagara Falls are breathtaking, but I am sure that seeing and experiencing them in person is even more so. How wonderful that you were able to take that trip with your family. What a celebration of reaching your 20 year mark. I hope you will have many more happy years. Knowing you, you will make the best of them.
Thanks Pat. Twenty years of anything is bound to bring with it a little rain, or a lot even. That’s okay.
Congrats on the milestone… 20 years… how does that happen. I remember when I was ago, 20 years was,seemingly a lifetime. (Kinda was, given my age back then…lol)
zip lining is probably something I’m grateful that you have the nerve to do, as never being a fan of heights, would not be inclined to try.
This was surely been a spring/summer of adventures, that is quite cool.
How does that happen? Indeed.
I still think the whole TToT group should have done it together. It’s that pesky fear of heights thing though.
Thanks Clark.
Congratulation on 20 years. Zip lining, exploring the Yukon and even a extension given you more time to write. You sure making the most of your 20th. Make me wonder what you have in store for your 30th?
Wow at first I didn’t realize Harry potter was that old does not feel like it. I feel like she’s made some words on paper and turn it into a living thing for all to see and enjoy. I commend her on that.
I am already looking ahead to thirty. Believe me.
Yes, a living thing for sure.