This month, Wikizine proudly celebrates its First Birthday as an online magazine. When we launched Wikizine last summer, little did we know how prolific our writers would be, writing inspiring articles on how to manage relationship crises, separation, divorce, parenting, dating... in short, everything you need to know about starting life over.
As the year passed, new writers joined our team to keep the vision of Wikizine fresh and dynamic. Much of this month's theme is a reflection of how much difference a year can make. Each of the parents in our 'Parents in Dialogue' feature talk about 'one year on' for them. As I edited them, I reflected on my own past year: as the first issue of Wikizine went live, I was in the middle of my own divorce, my daughter had just delivered her second baby and I was desperately trying to have a summer holiday! My divorce was made absolute on my 50th birthday, last christmas.
It seemed somewhat auspicious and, as we closed the year on New Year's Eve, my son made a surprise announcement of his engagement. Such life-changing events. Their lives just beginning as I closed my second marriage. Easy to drift into the perception of failure. But, for me, a failed marriage does not make a failed person.
By February, I was looking for new direction and new challenges. So, I went off to Australia for an adventure. Alone. Wikizine writer Linda Franklin writes a lovely article this month on how to enjoy a holiday alone. I agree with her... it can be very rewarding and relaxing. Determined to have some more time for me, by June I was planning my first ever road trip. Since there were many miles involved, I decided to share the driving with a Wikivorce colleague and friend and, together, we met in Los Angeles and made our way to Vancouver... sharing some real adventures along the way - you can read my travelogue in the Travel section!
So here I am, back at my desk... about to publish the first issue of Wikizine in its second year, summer drawing to a close, back to school in a couple of days... and what have I learned from the past year? I've learned that divorce brings opportunities. It's up to us what we want to do with them. Don't take my word for it, read the inspirational articles from our fantastic writers in this month's Wikizine...
Thank you for being our readers!
Your editor,
Linda
