Belatedly, Happy New Year!
Boy what a crazy silly season it has been! My daughter graduated from primary school and we moved house on Christmas Eve on top of the regular busy-ness of this time of year so it has definitely taken some recovery time for my family! But isn't that one of the great things about the end of the year; exhaustion-forced relaxation!? I find myself with a chance for quietening the heart, reflecting on the year that has been, and energising myself for the adventures to come.
The UN have declared 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development with the aim of increasing world-wide understanding and, ultimately, peace. The Chinese calendar says that 2017 is the Year of the Rooster - the epitome of punctuality. Rather than just symbolising waking up each morning, I like to think of the Rooster allowing us to "get woke" as my students would say or, perhaps more intelligibly, be awakened to the opportunities that the new year brings. 2017 for me is the Year of New Beginnings. We will have our new home; embark on living in a new suburb and all of the challenge and fulfillment that may bring; my daughter will start her secondary school journey; and the Lighthouse has a bunch of new goals too!
We have another jam-packed year of school-holiday workshops where young people can come and have fun getting creative - and in 2017 we are widening the age groups catered to! Due to popular demand we are creating a Junior age group for ages 8-10 to take part in the fun - keep your eyes peeled for the schedule coming soon!
As well as this, we are hoping to secure grant funding to allow us to obtain our own writing studio! If successful, we will utilise the space during school hours for book sharing/swapping, story time and parent groups to come and have a cuppa while their littlies grow their love of stories. Maybe even a coffee machine! Come 3pm the space will magically transform into writing studio space for school-aged peeps to come and write like they've never written before! There will be book clubs, story clubs, workshops, projects, newspaper publishing and all sorts of fun! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to keep up with the writing studio progress.
I truly hope that, whatever 2017 is the 'Year Of' for you, this year finds you to be the storyteller of your own wonderful page-turning, thrill-seeking, heart-filling adventure! See you at the Lighthouse!
Boy what a crazy silly season it has been! My daughter graduated from primary school and we moved house on Christmas Eve on top of the regular busy-ness of this time of year so it has definitely taken some recovery time for my family! But isn't that one of the great things about the end of the year; exhaustion-forced relaxation!? I find myself with a chance for quietening the heart, reflecting on the year that has been, and energising myself for the adventures to come.
The UN have declared 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development with the aim of increasing world-wide understanding and, ultimately, peace. The Chinese calendar says that 2017 is the Year of the Rooster - the epitome of punctuality. Rather than just symbolising waking up each morning, I like to think of the Rooster allowing us to "get woke" as my students would say or, perhaps more intelligibly, be awakened to the opportunities that the new year brings. 2017 for me is the Year of New Beginnings. We will have our new home; embark on living in a new suburb and all of the challenge and fulfillment that may bring; my daughter will start her secondary school journey; and the Lighthouse has a bunch of new goals too!
We have another jam-packed year of school-holiday workshops where young people can come and have fun getting creative - and in 2017 we are widening the age groups catered to! Due to popular demand we are creating a Junior age group for ages 8-10 to take part in the fun - keep your eyes peeled for the schedule coming soon!
As well as this, we are hoping to secure grant funding to allow us to obtain our own writing studio! If successful, we will utilise the space during school hours for book sharing/swapping, story time and parent groups to come and have a cuppa while their littlies grow their love of stories. Maybe even a coffee machine! Come 3pm the space will magically transform into writing studio space for school-aged peeps to come and write like they've never written before! There will be book clubs, story clubs, workshops, projects, newspaper publishing and all sorts of fun! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to keep up with the writing studio progress.
I truly hope that, whatever 2017 is the 'Year Of' for you, this year finds you to be the storyteller of your own wonderful page-turning, thrill-seeking, heart-filling adventure! See you at the Lighthouse!