Well, valued readers, as you are reading this, I am down on the East Coast for some much needed time to recharge.
I will also be seeing my girlfriend for the first time in seven months. Don’t let anyone ever convince you that long-distance relationships are not hard. They are. Damn hard.
I must admit, I will not be sad to see 2019 go. It was a trying year for me in a number of ways, not the least of which were health concerns.
At least, in that regard, I believe I’m about to round the corner and begin working on becoming myself again.
I can tell you one thing, it’s a darn strange feeling to be walking around at a scant 165 pounds after tipping the scales at about 203 pounds for the past 25 years.
2019 will always remain one of the darkest years in my life, as it’s the year I lost my best friend, my confidante, my anchor and the one person in the world I knew always had my back, no questions asked, with the passing of my mother.
I often try to console myself by remembering that I was fortunate to have as many years as I did with Mom, but the thought doesn’t seem to bring much comfort. At the end of the day, I just wasn’t ready for her to go.
Trust me when I say it takes a while to come to grips with losing one’s son and one’s mother in just a few short years, especially when they both fell to a slip of the foot – one on a rocky beach on Christmas Eve, and one crossing the kitchen floor on her way to the bathroom.
Tomorrow truly is never promised, my friends.
Still, amidst all the darkness, a little light did shine through.
A wonderful lady came back into my life, and she held me up as we made all the preparations to lay Mom to rest.
No matter how hard you may be struggling, life truly is full of surprises and, sometimes, they come along at a time when you need one most.
Although I’ve lived by the written word for most of my life, I would have a hard time putting into words the cascade of emotions that flowed through me the morning Rankin rec co-ordinator David Clark peeled-off a small piece of tape to reveal the words Darrell Greer Ref Room at our new arena.
Suffice to say, if you were to take a real close look at my face in the picture of David and I standing in front of the door that he posted to Facebook, you just might notice a little puffiness around the eyes of this old zebra.
I was blown away and totally humbled and honoured by the gesture, especially with it coming from a man totally dedicated to his community and the great game of hockey.
I do know one thing, “Thank you, David” does not begin to express my gratitude for being given that honour.
I return to Rankin Inlet on Dec. 30 to begin my 22nd year with Kivalliq News.
Until then, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and look forward to serving you, as best I can, once again upon my return.