What A Difference A Year Makes!

It’s been almost a year (March 13th 2020), since I was put on medical leave from my job in Canada because of the dangers of Coronavirus and my compromised health. If someone had told me on that day what the next year held, I would probably have laughed!

I was already undertaking preparations for my planned move home to Scotland. I actually had received email confirmation of my flight only a few days prior. This was for the original travel date I had chosen, April 29th. That date however was cancelled due to the borders being closed because of the fast spreading virus.

So, when I received an invitation to write a piece for a compilation book named Choices For Change, I accepted. After all, it would give me something useful and creative to do, and I quite enjoyed writing. That book would go on to become a #3 bestseller on Amazon.

During the same time period, I also started a blog, created a new website, and fulfilled my dream of moving back to Scotland. I sold several copies of my book privately, as well as creating a calendar of my Scotland scenery photography and acquiring another aromatherapy certificate.

But recently, I received news that my friend Andie, who is a successful author and publisher herself, had someone contact her in regards to turning one of her books into a movie. Exciting stuff! They had also shown interest in some of the stories in the C4C book, including mine. Andie keeps telling me how inspiring my story is, and how many people I have touched. I am very humbled and honoured to know that I have had such a profound effect on people. So, in addition to the other book projects I’m working on, I am now working on turning my short C4C stories and journal entries about my decision to return to Scotland, into a book to be published ASAP. And I thought it would be fun to give you a little teaser…

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From my as yet unnamed book…

On February 20^th 1980, at the tender age of ten, I boarded a plane with my parents and little brother , to emigrate from Scotland to Canada. My Nana, my favourite person in the world, tearfully saw us off from Prestwick Airport. I remember my Mum crying too as we boarded the plane. Being a child, I didn’t realize that it would be a long 40 years before I’d see my homeland again… Or that I would come to miss it so much as the long years wore on.

As time passed, I realized more and more that I was homesick. I felt it in my bones, in the depths of my soul. I can’t even describe how it felt; I just knew…I longed for it. The country I was born in. Scotland. Some of my friends who were closest to me had known it for many years. I didn’t really tell even my family how much I yearned to return. My good friend Aaron who I met in high school and reunited with long after via Facebook knew. He was extremely proud of his Scottish heritage, and wore his kilt as often as possible, including of course, his wedding day. He was a strong reminder to me of who I am, and where I came from.

So, how did this happen? My homesickness. I have no idea. Maybe it was from watching movies such as Braveheart and Rob Roy. I just knew I had developed an ache in my heart. An ache that whispered to my soul. It whispered the word “Scotland”. And that whisper, over the years, grew louder. And louder still. And yet life continued to tick along.

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So there it is, an excerpt from Chapter 1 of my new book. I hope you will stay tuned for updates and more sneak peaks in the future!

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