The Hub November 2013 | Page 4

CONNECTING Maybe it’s that we grow more introspective as the year’s end draws near. Or maybe it’s a growing awareness of the importance of mental wellness, and a desire to more clearly define happiness. Whatever the reason, I’ve heard a lot of talk lately about redefining success and following your bliss. At times, it’s a heated discussion. No one argues with the idea of pursuing your passions; it’s a lofty and noble thing to aspire to, and almost everyone can agree that being excited and fulfilled by the work you is the ideal situation. But when your passions – the things that excite and fulfill you – aren’t likely to lead to substantial incomes, or even “middle class” standing, it can be difficult to justify following a certain path. We are culturally programmed to seek economic achievement; what makes it more challenging is that we usually measure that achievement using a yardstick of someone else’s design. We blur the line between wants and needs; we see what others have and imagine that a lack of such “things” in our own lives means we’re lagging behind. Except we haven’t spent very much time thinking about what our own needs and wants actually are. My own business partner said it best just a few days ago: “Having to house and feed yourself should never mean having to lose your soul. If it does, time to look for a new place to live and a new way to eat. It's all about deciding what you're willing to do for the reward you desire. Sometimes the reward is not worth the price.” In this issue of The Hub, our editorial offerings find their roots in following your bliss. To write because of an inborn need to create, rather than a need to publish. To spend time with our loved ones in ways that challenge and stimulate us. To choose and design our own special days. That’s what I see in our articles this month. In fact, that’s what I see in every issue of The Hub. A celebration of all the ways our community connects to pursue the ideas and endeavours that are important to its members. Everyone is allowed to decide for themselves what price they are willing to pay for which rewards – and The Hub is there to cheer you on no matter what that decision may be. Shelley Like many times at the end of a month, when the final touches are being put on the forthcoming issue, and the blank Connecting column is staring me in the face, I am convinced I have nothing to say. Perhaps it’s word overload, staring at the same articles day after day and trying to see how I can make them better. Or maybe it’s just that the last few weeks have been particularly busy, or that the cat hasn’t been feeling well and now that is all I can think about. Whatever the reason, words seem to elude me when I can least afford for them to take a holiday. It’s not just me you say? Apparently, I’m not alone when it comes to the blank page syndrome. Writers of every kind face the same dilemma daily. Whether it’s a column, an article, a poem or a novel, the blank page or the lone blinking curser on an empty screen, seems sinister beyond compare. Thousands of words have been written about this but the writing that is meant to happen continues to elude us. And yet, there are those that manage to overcome. Not only do they get their thoughts on paper, but they do it so well that countless others long to read more. They dream, they write, they edit and polish and if all goes according to plan, they publish and the world reads. Visit any of the literary events taking place in Windsor and Essex County and you are bound to meet many such people living among us. If you are reading this magazine at the very beginning of the month, you will know that the annual BookFest Windsor takes place the first weekend of November. Internationally acclaimed author, Margaret Atwood will be making an appearance along with many others you won’t want to miss. If you’re too late, you still have a chance to attend Windsor Essex Book Expo at the end of the month. This event focuses on writers from Essex County and you may be surprised at how many of them there are. Bring your notebook and a sharp pencil, they obviously have found the secret to getting past the blank page. If dating or wedding planning, turn to page 20 and 30 to see what others have to say about making those days special in a unique way. Of course, if you’re both aficionados of the written word, you may want to consider making one of the two literary events part of your day. Who knows, maybe there’s a story in the making there that will need to be told. 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