Song of the day:
2025 - Twenty Twenty-Five - Two Thousand Twenty-Five
How is that even possible? And why don’t we have flying cars yet? Or better yet, world peace? Sensible gun laws? Laws that protect instead of harm? I digress…
It’s a new year, and yes, there are many unknowns - as there always are - and many concerns about what’s really going to happen come January 20, I find that there’s still hope.
Hope that the good will still rise, that people will continue to care about their neighbors - those that are just like them and those that are vastly different, that the sun will still shine each day - even when there are clouds. I find joy in the knowledge that new music will be released, new books will be written and delivered to my bookshelves, new movies will provide opportunities to escape and have fun, and new restaurants will open with delicious (and hopefully allergy-friendly!) food for me to try. And as always, I know that I’m not in control and that God is still on His throne. But I also know that He gave me free will and that there is a lot I can do to keep moving forward, to keep working to make a difference.
Seeing the coverage of the death of Jimmy Carter earlier this week reminded me of how much good there still is in the world and that one person can make a huge impact. If each of us do a little, we make progress. We don’t have to individually solve world peace or build a neighborhood of houses, but we can donate our time, give away our excess stuff, advocate for others, speak up when needed, and maybe improve one person’s day. We can continue to learn and improve ourselves along the way, too. I feel like that’s what Jimmy’s legacy is showing us all, that we have it within us to do great things to help make this world a better place. Maybe we make this a year to honor him and his legacy.
A look back…
There’s no question that 2024 was one of the most change-filled years of my life, from retirement to moving across the country to sharing a house with my mom and figuring out how to live the life of a retiree. Am I really that old?! There were a lot of fun things last year, too. Here’s a quick glimpse: hockey, music, moving, family and friends, Sun Devil football, and a bouquet of Hundred Thousand Dollar bars…what more could a girl want?
Looking forward…
And how will I be celebrating the new year today? I’m so glad you asked. I’ll be on the couch glued to the TV watching my Sun Devils take on the Longhorns in the College Football Playoff. So if you try to find me between 11-3 mountain time, I likely won’t respond. But you can always leave a message. :-) Truth be told, I will probably be a bucket of nerves watching the game so a text message might be a welcome distraction. We’ll see. I do know that there will be a lot of snacks for the occasion. Because obviously.
Whatever you’re doing today - or not doing - I hope it’s a day filled with hope and joy, laughter and peace, rest and renewal. Happy New Year…let’s make it a good one. For Jimmy. And for us, too.
Image from Opportunity International
Video of the day:
An oldie but a goodie…
Started the day late-6am.. Meeting an BHSU grad this morning at Blackbird Coffee at 8 and Jack H around 9:30. No significant plans today except to continue writing. Have been maintaining 2 full 8x11 pages a day now for several days.
Seize the day and ride a donkey for $5