What's the best thing that happened to you in 2023? Canadians share uplifting stories

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Nidhi Sachdeva says the best part of 2023 was getting her PhD from the University of Toronto — and how her kids reacted to her robes on graduation day. 

Sachdeva graduated in June, with her nine-year-old daughter, Noor, and five-year-old son, Rumi, in attendance.

"His reaction was, 'Yeah, this is … a cool outfit you're wearing. Are you in Harry Potter or something?'" said Toronto resident Sachdeva, 41.

"But my daughter looked at me and I think her eyes just became wider … I could just see that she was so proud of me. She saw more than her mum," she told CBC Radio's The Current.

Sachdeva shared her story after The Current asked listeners for the best thing that happened to them in 2023. She graduated with a doctoral degree in curriculum and pedagogy, after four years of study that spanned the pandemic and the birth of another daughter, Mira, now two years old.

Passionate about learning, Sachdeva said she hopes to use her qualification to help address challenges faced by schools and young learners across Canada. But she's faced obstacles along the way.

She came to Canada as an international student from New Delhi in 2007, but didn't qualify for the master's program she wanted to study. Instead, she had to take classes to earn credits that would bolster her application for the following year — which added to the challenges and uncertainty of being a newcomer in a strange country. 

"I did that with a little bit of fear, resentment, and a bit of frustration and anger. But I'm glad I did it. And the following year I got into the master's program," she said.

Walking across the stage at graduation, Sachdeva could see her daughter Noor on the balcony. 

"I saw her smile, and I saw those eyes again. And it was all worth it, in that moment. It was just so, so special for me," she said.

Michele Rigby says she can't emphasize enough how "unathletic" she was for most of her life. But when she turned 60 a few years ago, she decided to learn to play tennis. 

"Every time I go on the court I'm just amazed that I am there," said Rigby, now 68 and living in Truro, N.S.

"It's a lot of fun, and people are so patient with me. They're so kind."