For many people, New Years is a trigger to look forward. As you get older, New Years becomes an opportunity to look backward with thanks. These are the New Year’s reflections for which I am thankful.

I am deeply overjoyed that Colin is doing so well. He has carved out a successful career for himself in a very competitive industry. I feel inadequate because of the marriage failure and all the associated pain and disruption. He has done very well despite all of the difficulties he has faced. If there is one thing for which I can pat myself on the back it is that I paid for him to attend Dalhousie University Elementary School. This was a very good program and I believe it helped nurture his intelligence and gave him a good start in life. I had it written into the separation agreement that he would continue to attend and that I would foot the entire cost. I was able to meet that commitment even after the oil industry collapse at a time when I was struggling to grow a consultancy and develop an income. When things got tight, I cashed out my investment portfolio. A key holding was Microsoft, sold in the late 1980s at fifty dollars a share. Of course, if I had held on to that until 1995 when MSFT began its exponential rise, life would be very different. Probably not better, but certainly different.

I have two principal doctors, both of whom I owe a great deal. They have been extremely generous with their time. When I look back at some of my notes and blog posts documenting my injury, I realize I was completely uncomprehending of the issues and challenges I faced. I believe I have made considerable progress but it is always the last stretch before the summit that is most difficult.

And I also need to give thanks to MicroTonic and its CEO for offering me an extraordinary opportunity. I appear to be reactivating old skills and putting them to useful work. The best part of the relationship centres on the fact that the CEO also has personal experience of brain injury. This has been my first opportunity to dialog with an ABI survivor and I have learned from him that my experience is not unique, that he has had to deal with the same challenges, and continues to address them.

So 2014 was an eventful year. May 2015 be even better. And to all of the above, my most profound and deepest thank-you.

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Update 13/01/15
On review, I realize that I have omitted the coordinator at the volunteer organization. I suspect I created headaches for him but he was extremely gracious and accepting of my faux pas. His acceptance gave me exposure to a model work routine and my ability to perform in this role was a huge confidence boost and a real turning point in my recovery.