I believe we have a voice for a reason. With that in mind, I keep using mine in places where I think it will matter. I work diligently to formulate messages so I’m heard and understood, but I know that my voice, and yours too, is often drowned out by the chaos and loud chatter that makes the world confusing, unwelcome, and frustrating.
Styne & Cahn
If we had any doubts about what season we’re in, the last few days have surely put those thoughts to rest. The postcard that is my front yard is stunning and still, almost like the night before Christmas when “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”
Today I am alive and breathing. I am aware that I am breathing, and today I fully understand what a miracle that is. I’ve meant to be living just for today, but I suspect I have been anxious about Covid-19, about work, about my health, about my family’s health, world peace, the state of national and local affairs—the list goes on.
As the Trump presidency comes to a tumultuous close, we find ourselves in a strange and unfamiliar place—one I’m prayerful we won’t embrace and become comfortable with. When our nation’s capitol is full of troops instead of inaugural celebrants, it’ll take more than rose-colored glasses to see the rainbow at the end of this storm.
I love January and I’m excited that 2021 finally shoved 2020 to the pavement so we can move forward. As 2021 unfolds, let’s take a moment to reflect—a moment—not long, difficult hours of laments and rehashing of the miseries, and get ready for this time of opportunity and adventure.
Most of us don’t wear a “world’s richest person” label so what we do with our money may not be newsworthy, however, I suspect if we did and we were trying to leave the world better than we found it, we’d have a few projects on our list.
I am happy to report that I have arrived. Not at the pinnacle of anything earth-shattering but at that place my grandmother promised. Whenever she’d get emotional over sweet cards from her sister, or a visit from her best friend, we’d ask why and she’d simply say, “just keep living.” She said as you get older, sentimentality takes over and there’s nothing much you can do about it.
This Thanksgiving I have more reasons than I can count to be thankful. I try to live triumphantly every day, but this year has been filled with a tad more adventure and activity than I would’ve ordered in a given year. As November began, I warned that I would be celebrating my birthday all month and that is still my intention though my official 65th birthday has come and gone.
Today is Veterans Day and as the daughter, sister, cousin, niece, and aunt of veterans, let’s take time today and honor those who answered the call to serve our country. When I was growing up my dad and his brother often shared their pride in having served and they loved showing their platoon pictures. They bragged the Veterans Hospitals (The VA) had the best doctors in the world.
I love November for a bunch of reasons. These include election day, it’s National Diabetes Awareness Month, we get to celebrate our veterans, I’m having my 65th birthday, and then it’s Thanksgiving. We could be worn out by December though over the past months the pandemic has changed what, how, and why we do almost everything.