Goodbye, 2016. Hello, 2017! It’s a brand new year, and I’ve already made up my mind: this is going to be a very good one. I made a few resolutions; but before I do that, I always take some time to reflect on what happened in my life in the last year. I then decide what memories I will leave behind, and what I will take with me and hold on to.
Life always comes with beginnings and endings and I had a few of them in the last year. The birth of a new grandson in June has brought a lot of joy to my life. I look forward to watching him grow. His smile is something I will hold on to. The final settling of my parents’ estate was an ending I shared with my brothers and my sister in Maryland. A great sadness came with that, an aching loss that I often wonder, Will it ever go away? Their memories will be with me always and forever in my heart.
I made a lot of new friends in the last year and spent some time with cherished, longtime friends who are always there for me when I need them. I worked hard last year and I found time to have some fun, too. Staying at a cottage at Lake Huron with my grandsons was the highlight of my summer – walking on the beach and watching the sun rise over the lake.
As a writer for My City Magazine, I have the opportunity to meet and write about so many great people all over Greater Flint. The assignment I enjoyed most was randomly interviewing people from Flint and hearing their stories. It’s very true; everyone has a story to tell, and I look forward to hearing more stories this year. Playing golf with new friends is something I also enjoyed (and plan to do more of in the New Year).
Okay, my resolutions.
My first resolution is to not take anything for granted, not one day, not one person. I resolve to spend more time with the people I care about. In this New Year, I plan to make the time to work on the book I am writing about my father and his experiences as a turret gunner during World War II. Another one of my resolutions is to relax more and worry less. I resolve to not be so hard on myself. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect all the time.
They say it’s best to not make to make too many resolutions, because if you set too many goals for yourself it may seem insurmountable. So, just one more for me, maybe two. I plan to eat healthier and exercise more often (hopefully, maybe).
So, I am expecting to have a healthy, happy and exciting New Year … and I wish the same for you!
