Sergei Kourdakov, a former KGB agent and Soviet naval intelligence officer, defected from the USSR at the age of twenty. A year later we met at my Federal Government office in Washington DC. We were watched and followed. “Even you could be spy,” Sergei whispered. My book, A Rose for Sergei, is the true story of our time together.

Monday, January 5, 2015

This Time Each Year


For me, even though it’s a new year, this time each year replays like a scene in the movie Groundhog Day.  In that funny movie, actor Bill Murray finds himself in a time loop, repeating the same day again and again.

On January 1st, I feel like I’m in a time loop that repeats itself, at the same time, year after year.  Unlike the movie, my replay of a life event is much more serious.  For some unknown reason, I am startled awake around 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day—the day that Sergei Kourdakov died.  And once again, I know that it is time for my silent prayer.  My thoughts are always the same, a quiet reflection . . . “Sergei, I’m sorry that you died so young.  You are not forgotten.”

The New Year . . . a time to reflect.  The time for a new start.  A time to make promises to yourself.  We all have good intentions.  I know that I have plans for my book, A Rose for Sergei:  readings, marketing ideas, making new contacts.  Self-promoting a book is a lot harder than I ever expected.  However, I don’t intend to let the business part of writing take priority.  Family and friends come first.  Keeping the ones I love close to my heart is a must.  Finding happiness each day is a must because each New Year I am reminded that you never know how much time you have.


No comments:

Post a Comment