Chronicling the journey of writing
Header

Initiating Change

January 8th, 2016 | Posted by Veronica Louis in Inspiration - (4 Comments)

by Veronica Louis

Veronica Louis at 33 years old

Photo: Veronica Louis

I like the idea of the number 33. 11 is my lucky number. Multiplying that number by 3 seems like perfect arithmetic to me. Will I perhaps be 3 times as lucky as I begin yet another chapter in my life?

My 32nd year was a good one. It started off with my working at a company where I got to utilize both my writing and design skills. I went on to visit Dominican Republic with my lovely mom (this is before the country decided to strip Haitians of their Dominican nationality. Not such a fan of the country now). I finally visited San Francisco, yet fell in love with beautiful San Diego. I revelled in the challenge of co-organizing WordCamp Montreal 2015 with a great group of people. I had an amazing time with really good friends in New York, the “concrete jungle where dreams are made.” I moved to Ottawa for a while to focus on my writing. And finally, I ended the year with a move to Berlin, Germany, where I currently reside. (more…)

Let’s Do the Stuff We Want to Do

April 22nd, 2015 | Posted by Veronica Louis in Inspiration - (0 Comments)

by Veronica Louis

Photo of Berlin Wall that says small people in small places do many small things that can alter the face of the world

Berlin Wall
Photo: Veronica Louis

A few months ago I wrote about how I wished we were all kinder to one another in 2015. Already almost five months in, and it does seem like humanity is regressing instead of progressing.

With events such as hundreds upon hundreds drowning while seeking refuge, pilots intentionally crashing planes, brutal executions in the name of religious ideology, authoritarian brutality targeting race, how can one not question one’s role in one’s life, and where we fit in a world of haves and have nots.  (more…)

Where Is the Love?

January 8th, 2015 | Posted by Veronica Louis in Inspiration | Turning 30 - (2 Comments)

by Veronica Louis

Veronica Louis Portrait with a Pink ShirtToday I turn 32.

As Fun once sang, “Tonight… We are young.” We cannot prevent the fleeting time from escaping our futile grasps, but we can control how we are within. And by Jove, if we feel young, we are young.

For me the New Year always sweeps in a whole new added year of wisdom as my birthday follows it a few days later. It’s almost always a time of reflection, a time to gauge what chapter I’m in, in the story that is my life.

A couple of years ago, turning 30 seemed like an epic event. “30,” I thought, “The beginning of the end.” As it turns out, it wasn’t the end. And as I have comfortably settled into my thirties, I look forward to a year where I’m writing the next exciting chapter in my life… a couple of plot twists, a build-up with rewarding results, a lovely denouement. (more…)

It’s About the Journey Not the Destination

March 1st, 2014 | Posted by Veronica Louis in Inspiration | Travel - (1 Comments)

The Quest for the Perfect Sandwich

by Veronica Louis

Bird's Eye View of Paris

Photo: Veronica Louis

This tale begins like all good stories should… with food.

The year was 2010, it was my second time visiting Paris. After a long visit at the Louvre, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world, my stomach grumbled in hunger. Ignoring the pangs, I made my way through the Jardin des Tuileries towards Champs Élysées, where some of the most expensive shops in the world line the avenue.

Right outside the garden gates, facing a small merry-go-round, there was a modest crêperie/sandwich stand. While I wasn’t really a sandwich person (I was only familiar with the Subway-styled sandwiches), I egged myself on to get a sandwich.

The simple cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwich with Dijon mustard had me at first bite. The sandwich crudité, on baguette bread, melted in my mouth. Every bite was a tad bit more delicious than the last. I had no idea a mere sandwich could taste that good. (more…)

From Japan to Montreal to Europe

February 19th, 2014 | Posted by Veronica Louis in Inspiration | Travel - (0 Comments)

by Veronica Louis

Hillel Quote

Photo: Etsy.com

Three years ago I left Japan with a heavy heart. I had always told myself that I would return before my visa as a Human Specialist ran out. My re-entry visa expired this February 2014. I wonder if I would have still left Kyoto, if I had known back then that the next time I would once again board a plane would be in three years.

All this to say that, when I returned to Montreal, life happened. Life tends to do that. Finding an apartment, establishing a career as a freelancer, falling in and out of love… All of that “life” stuff happened in the blink of three years.

Now, at 31, I feel like I’ve lived a lifetime between leaving Japan and this present moment. But since change is the only constant in life, I embrace it and welcome it. Tomorrow, I will board a plane bound for Europe where I will have the opportunity to work on an exciting web project while visiting old friends in France, Switzerland and Germany. And for those readers who faithfully followed my solo adventure through India, you will be glad to hear that I will finally be reunited with a couple members of my Hampi family, Eun Sun and Stephen, who live happily together in Berlin. The mere thought of the reunion makes me happy. (more…)