Welcome back to SOLO at SIXTY!
Happy New Year! 2019. Did you stay awake long enough to see the ball drop and ring in the new year? Or did you set an alarm to rouse you from the sofa to welcome the new year in? Those poor people in Times Square, waiting all day, in the RAIN! Have to admit, I am glad I was not there!
Last week I could not believe Christmas was over; this week I can’t believe 2018 is over. Once my kids were gone, Christmas officially came to an end for me. So what did I do? Yep, I took my tree and all my decorations down, candles and boughs out of my windows, the netting of lights off my shrubbery, the garland off my light post, and washed and packed up my Christmas sweaters for next year. I did leave my beautiful wreath (the one I made!) on my front door. With Thanksgiving so early this year, my tree had been up since mid-November and was so dry I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to get it out of my house. My younger daughter came over Wednesday night to help me take it out. Once we hoisted it out of the stand, which was a bit of a comedy as it was such a big, DRY tree, we laid it on a sheet to carry out, but it was so dry the branches barely bent inward enough to make it through the door! I was afraid I might need a chainsaw to get it out. Vacuumed up all the pine needles and dog hair (Granddawg also visited over Christmas), moved my furniture back in place, and I was ready for 2019! I always like to start the new year off with my house in order, helps me to feel as if my life is also in order.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt
How did you feel about 2018? Were you glad to see it end? I feel as if I found my way in 2018. Turned a corner, took a right turn. I was finally able to close the book on a lot of hurt, pain, and self-doubt. I concentrated on how blessed I am and lived my life accordingly. Of course, there were some low, hurtful experiences in 2018. But I think after you find yourself unexpectedly SOLO, or experience other life-changing events, you have to know that those instances are going to happen, and you just have to be as prepared as possible, which is never easy. Luckily for me, the good times FAR outweighed the low times, and 2018 was the first in recent years that I truly felt good about the whole year. I had a lot of fun, spent a lot of time with my kids, family, and friends, and traveled to the beach often. I have no regrets about 2018 and I plan to end 2019 with no regrets as well.
“Healing does not mean the damage never existed, it just means the damage no longer controls our lives.”
Speaking of the beach, I am really feeling its pull these days. It has been a long time since I have inhaled that sweet salty air – well over a month! Unfortunately, I’m not sure when I will get back down there – now until mid-February is my busiest time at work, closing the books for 2018 and setting up 2019. Last week alone I visited 4 of our out-of-town clubs, 3 in one day, in 3 different states! Needless to say, it was a long, but very productive day. And Saturday I made a trip to our Short Pump club, took a great class with my older daughter, and talked her into helping me confirm inventory. Finished before the Carolina game at noon! And finally took my office Christmas lights down… so the season has wrapped up for me!
“What is coming is better than what is gone.”
Life is so similar. We are all closing the books on 2018 and opening a new book for 2019, one that includes 365 beautiful, blank pages just waiting for us to write a new story. What will you write on your pages? Will they be filled with happiness? Sorrow? Adventure? Fun? Will there be goodbye letters to some people and welcome letters to new people? You know I don’t believe in coincidences – I believe that everything happens for a reason, and that people enter our lives for a reason, though we may not be able to see it at the time. Becoming SOLO is proof for me. Yes, I said goodbye to some people in my life, but I have said hello and welcome to so many new and wonderful people. And I realized the importance of many people who had taken a back seat in my life. But I digress (imagine that!). We have 365, well now today it is down to 363 blank pages to fill. Let’s fill these pages with kindness, gratitude, happiness, compassion, love, and FUN! Make the most of these 363 days because like the last 2 days, we can never get them back. And if there is a bad page or chapter, just turn the page, knowing there is a bright blank page just waiting for YOU to fill it.
“To be happy in 2019 you must: Let go of what’s gone, be grateful for what remains, and look forward to what’s on the way.”
So that’s a wrap folks! Goodbye 2018, hello 2019! Make the most of every day, because as we all know, none of us is promised tomorrow.
Best,
Leslie
PS Saw this and agree totally: “Christmas is over… I am ready for Summer!”
SOLO at SIXTY 