celebrate endings - for they precede new beginnings.

It seems that 2021 barely started...yet here it is about to end. My perception of time has definitely been affected by the pandemic. Days and weeks seem to blend together in a way that they never did before. Maybe this is because there aren't any of those extra special experiences to mark on the calendar. There are no travel plans, no concerts, no trips downtown to have dinner with friends, no nights out, no...nothing. When I wrote my New Years post last year, I did not imagine that the pandemic would still be affecting all of our lives today. At that point, I believed that the vaccine would solve all of the problems, and life would return to normal once more. But now there are variants and the case numbers continue to increase while we wait for booster shots to become available. Nothing is predictable these days. Nothing is normal. 

There have been a lot of ups and downs in 2021. For instance, the relief when I was able to get both of my vaccine shots....and the fear when different variants were discovered. The joy when I was able to have a socially distanced outdoor visit with a few friends...and the disappointment when other plans needed to be cancelled. The fact that I love my job and love working from home...but had to miss my friends wedding in the USA. There were so many highs and lows that it made 2021 quite the emotional rollercoaster. Some days, everything feels fine. Other days, I mourn how life used to be. 

Despite all of the highs and lows, despite the uncertainty, and despite the fear, I have been extraordinarily fortunate this past year. Unlike in 2020, there were no holidays spent alone. That in itself was a victory! I was able to see my family on a regular basis. I was able to continue to do work that is meaningful to me. I was able to stay home and be safe. Now that 2021 is all but over (the countdown takes place tonight)...this is the perfect time to pause and remember all of my blessings. Though the year has not been an easy one, there is so much to be thankful for. It is nice to be reminded of that.

2020 was a year of failed plans. 2021 was a year of uncertainty. Here is hoping that 2022 is a year of rebuilding. It is time for all of us to refocus on our goals and start making those plans for the future. Though we may not know what the world will look like in the next twelve months...we can do our best to soldier on. There is beauty in our futures. I know it. 

Happy New Year! Here is to a wonderful and memorable 2022. How will you celebrate?