Milestone Birthday – CoronaLife Day 271

The year 2020 has been a weird, difficult year, so I guess my having a milestone birthday during it is rather appropriate. As this interminable year drags to a close, I have closed out the first half-century of my life.

It’s kind of a weird feeling, reaching fifty, because I really don’t feel fifty. I mean, I am fifty so I guess this is what fifty feels like, but it’s not really what I pictured. Fifty was OLD. Now it’s not old. It just middlin’.

There came a time, at least for me, where age became just a number. I never was much of a birthday celebrator once childhood passed, and frankly, I would be just as happy to let it pass unheralded. But my daughter is, for some reason, excessively excited about celebrating my birthday, so we are having some cupcakes and presents and a special meal (that I am not making). She even allowed me the honor of opening the Advent calendar today, and putting together the Lego piece inside it (our calendar is Lego Harry Potter).

Every birthday is a time for reflection, and fifty is even more so. With the year we have behind us, I am grateful to still be here, and that all my loved ones are healthy and safe. I am not where I thought I would be when I turned fifty, and there is some regret in that, but I have a good life. While some career goals have not been reached, there is still time, and the more important life goals like a husband and child I love and am proud of have been achieved.

It’s a long time, fifty times around the sun, and I have seen many things in those 5 decades. This year has broken my heart in a thousand ways, but I have also seen the tremendous goodness and kindness people are capable of, and the things people can achieve when they work together in good faith. I have lived long enough to know that hard times pass, if we hang on long enough. The inevitability of change is, rather ironically, the only thing in life that never changes.

Be safe, be smart, so you all will be here for my next trip around the sun.

Year-End Reflections: Looking back to move forward

I know that we still have a few weeks until the end of 2016, but I’m in a reflective mood. Thanksgiving was a time to reflect on the many good things in my life. My upcoming birthday is a time to see where I am and where I’m going. Christmas is always a time of joy and hope. And eventually the New Year will be here. So my year-end reflections linger for quite a long time.

Thanksgiving was hectic this year, with a compressed travel time, but the holiday did hold some quiet moments—and a great deal to be thankful for. My family means the world to me, and the fact that we are all healthy, safe, and content in our lives is a blessing.

Witch of Zal year-end reflectionsOn my “book birthday” I looked at where I started with my book, The Witch of Zal, and where I stood after a year. I needed to assess the way I spent my time and energy in marketing the book to see what worked, what didn’t, and where I could improve. So it is with my real birthday—I need to assess what I have done through the past year, and what I need to change or tweak to get me closer to the goals I have for my life.

Christmas has long been my favorite time of year. The idealist in me has always responded to the “peace on earth, goodwill to men” mantra of the season. I’m all for anything that makes people actively think about how they treat other people, and encourages generosity and inclusion. With the recent election leaving so many people reeling and frightened for themselves or people they love, I need the healing power of Christmas to help me get back to believing in the inherent goodness of people.

Christmas decorations also brings back a lot of memories in my year-end reflections. So many of my ornaments are sentimental as well as beautiful. The Little Drummer Boy commemorating the year I played said character while having a high fever and dealing with a similarly ill cast:

Little Drummer Boy ornament year-end reflections

An Egyptian-themed ball that I bought for my best friend, who died before we exchanged presents:

Egyptian ornament year-end reflections

Many horse and unicorn ornaments, because, well, horses and unicorns!

Unicorn ornament year-end reflections

New family ornaments for my wedding and my daughter’s birth:

Family ornament year-end reflections

I don’t need an angel to show me that I have had a pretty wonderful life.

Then comes New Year, that time of year is intimately associated with resolutions. No resolutions for me, but I do create goals for the year—both personal and business. For instance, I have new plans for marketing my book. Also, I need to push outside my personal comfort zone to continue to expand my career.

So this past week I have indulged in some year-end reflections. Overall, I’m happy with where I am, and looking forward to the road ahead. I’m a little nervous, because life stories always have unexpected plot twists, but I hope I can rise to meet any challenges I face.

Does the end of the year make you thoughtful, or is it just another time of year for you?

Christmas tree year-end reflections

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