Q01

Describe a significant experience that has happened in the past year. How did it affect you? Are you grateful? Relieved? Resentful? Inspired?

In my second year at Canopy, My mom and grandma got COVID just a few days before my mom's birthday. I feel as if it was my fault a bit. Took my mom to a big a event like the Cooper-Young Festival and a casino with no masks. Then next week my mom and grandma both get COVID. I am currently taking time off work to be by their side since my mom got admitted into the hospital do to health complications, I had to help with my grandma, and keep the house running. It's a sucky situation that has forced me to pause and reflect on my life. Do I want to stay at my job or take this time to apply to others? The income I receive has a lot to do with what outcome I get in life. I am ready for a better outcome.

Our family participated on a medical mission trip to southern India. I was grateful in a way to be able to contribute in that way and I was inspired by how grateful the villagers were to see us and for the care we provided. But I remain very conflicted in that it felt like we were handing out bandaids instead of anything that would have a lasting impact. I hold onto the welcomes the villagers gave us and the conversations with some of the school kids who served as translators. But I could not help but feel like we were the "white colonizers" swooping in with fanfare to offer help on our terms, not really connecting with them about what they needed. We parachuted in and out ... and a month later, when the medicines we provided were gone, little if anything would have changed for the better in their lives as a result of our visit. I'm still wrestling with what's right in circumstances like this. If me connecting with one 12-year old makes a difference in her life, is that enough?

At a low point this summer, I received a special gift from a family to whom I had delivered a few groceries and home garden produce late spring and early summer. Let me go back a bit. I had dodged Covid-19 for almost three years with two doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, followed by two boosters (Pfizer, followed by Moderna six or seven months later). Then Friday evening, Sept 16, I had throbbing sinuses and nasal congestion, Saturday morning, the symptoms had accelerated to feel like a painful sinus infection with discharge and nasal congestion from environmental allergies, so I arranged to visit Atrius Health Urgent Care at Kenmore Square. I am grateful that their careful testing ruled out two strains of influenza, but it had also verified that I had Covid-19. They arranged for a monoclonal antibody infusion Sept 19, because I am 75 yrs old with asthma, and could not ingest Paxlovid or Remdesivir because of their lactose binder. At the end of this first week of having Covid-19, I was depressed because I was still testing positive and would have to celebrate Rosh Hashana on Zoom. We had been planning to have a small New Years’ Celebration with neighbor friends (ages: 90+ years) at dinner time on Sept 25. That had just been cancelled, because we could not risk their catching Covid-19 from us. Then I received a text on Messenger that this young family with children (ages: 4, 8, and 10 yrs) wanted to come over with a small gift and to see our garden. We told them to bring bags to harvest vegetables, herbs, and flowers from our garden. They gathered tomatoes, zucchini, two types of peppers, eggplant, and herbs and large dahlia blossoms (to float on bowls of water at home). Hosts and guests were all wearing masks and observing social distancing. The big gift they gave me that day was tremendous…their children’s giggles, shouts of joy, a few questions…how far down the stem to cut the dahlia blossoms, what are these skinny three-inch green fruits called? Will the green tomatoes turn color? They enjoyed the experience of harvesting fresh vegetables immensely. And I was so happy to share our garden with them. It was a blessing all around.

I got a new job and realized that I was too emotionally invested in getting a promotion and didn’t focus on what I really need in life.

My brother called me on a Saturday morning while I was at the Farmers' Market. They found a mass in Dad's pancreas. I felt the life in me drain. We were on our way to visit family. That plan changed. Instead I flew to visit Dad. Only two people could visit Dad at a time. I stayed over the weekend and through Monday. I visited again Thursday night through Monday. A week later he was discharged to a rehab facility. He had been on a liquid diet and confined to his bed for five days. He had lost muscle quickly in the process. He began to make progress in rehab. But he had a lot of fluid retention in his calves. So the doctor prescribed lasix and fluid restriction. But no one at rehab made sure he was intaking enough fluid. The last day I saw him, his blood pressure was too low for PT. So he missed PT. The only remedy the nurse advised was for Dad to drink water. But Dad had some cognitive impairment from fluid retention. So he couldn't self hydrate. He needed someone to prompt him. And no one was doing that at the rehab. Later that day, Dad became dizzy going to the bathroom. The nurse left him on the toilet to go get help. After they got him back to be, Dad started gasping for breath and blanched. His blood pressure was scary low. It took the doctor 40 minutes to respond. They should have called 911 I wondered if I should have called 911. But my friend told me 911 would not have responded because dad was in a medical facility. It was their responsibility. Dad was better when I left at 7:30. I felt like staying longer. But I also felt weird. Just like with mom. The last thing my Dad said to me was, "Thanks for coming." I'm grateful for the time with Dad. I resent the lack of caring that led to his death. That night, the rehab called 911. He was treated for hypovolemic shock due to dehydration which was caused by neglect. His organs shut down. I resent the fear I saw in my Dad's eyes when he was gasping for breath all because someone who was charged with the responsibility for his care did not think to be sure he drank enough water.

Finally got free of my 14.5 year long dead-end job and took a new challenging job, albeit a temporary one. Feel grateful for sure, though still uncertain for what the future holds (like everyone else, ha ha)

half a dozen deaths - most expected, some not. always a reckoning within yourself about your own mortality. questions about how to plan the remainder of life, how to prepare for the inevitable. at least when i think about the horrible turn politics and lawmaking has taken, my only consolation is "well, i won't be around to see the aftermath of THAT."

I started to like myself for who I am, warts and all. It made me more at peace.

I got a full-time job! My first full-time post-college job. It's so easy and so challenging at the same time. Offices are,,, wild. The ways that people interact are so confusing. There's a lot of new situations and relationships to navigate, which is really hard, but it's probably good for me.

So much has happened this year - just, so much - and it all feels so intensely tangled together. Let's try: I took on extra responsibilities for what was meant to be a short time, but became a long time, and the longer it lasted, the less supported (and the more neglected & cornered) I felt. And then after surviving it, my hours were cut in half, in a way that felt dehumanizing. I still feel angry, hurt, exhausted. Demoralized.

Grandmother, engagement

Back and neck surgeries. Grateful to : Dr Ray BJC Keaton Erin Ron Cheri

I did the first year of my counselling diploma and I’ve learned so much about myself. I’m trying to look at the difficult parts of myself, to slow down, to not need to have the answers as much.

We had a BIG leadership shakeup at work. I was really nervous about what this would mean for me work-wise, and resulted in a lot of stress and anxiety at first. But change is very often GOOD and it ended up being a much better situation as a result.

I have had so many experiences that are significant in this past year. In general regarding my psyche, I have been depressed and gaining wait over the last 15 months. This summer I started working on Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD. It started off well enough but I lost all perspective and the thoughts/beliefs I examined became even more logical and more ingrained and I became suicidal. My therapist offered me an out and I thought about it and decided to continue because, if not now, when? I trudged forward and ended up in a worse place. Then I had the grace to allow myself to shelf this process for a while until I was in a better place. Grace, forgiveness, in my time. I allowed myself. And I healed, a healing. This allowed me to be mindful of the food I am putting in my mouth, to be patient around my healthcare, to be less driven to keep busy. I am extremely grateful for not being so tough on myself. The other, very recent significant event is the sudden and unexpected death of my client. I am so grateful for her friendship, for being with her as she passed, and for being able to care of all that needs to be done (contacting friends and family by phone, obituary, and memorial plans) after a death.

Lift Triratna ordination program. I am relieved.

Well, considering that I'm answering this question while in another city, I'd say that my dad's illness/condition has been the defining experience of the year. In the spring, when all this started, it was really hard to see him suffering, and there was no easy diagnosis to explain the pain and continued cramping in his leg. I still remember that first week so clearly when he was regularly encouraged by doctors to keep trying to stand - that the body loses 10% muscle mass a week or something like that. Then it continued into the rehab centers where he was repeatedly asking for help to die because the pain didn't cease. It was many months of feeling helpless and frustrated and scared.

The Queen died, and I felt conflicted. I had admired her for many reasons, but I didn’t like what she represented ie the monarchy. I admired her stoicism, fortitude and sense of duty but on the other hand her role exemplified the limits of our democracy. And I hate that she has been succeeded by a relic from the 1950s - a King. It feels very backward-looking, and does not bode well for progressive politics, or feminism.

Again, ending on a big one that I have alluded to in other questions - we are trying to get pregnant. Initially we had wanted to wait till Susi had her full-time contract but she is working and people want to work with her. It seems like she will always have work opportunities. I am currently working and should I be able to get pregnant while on this contract, they will not be able to let me go till I have given birth. My hope of course is that I will have won their hearts by then though and they will want to keep me. If we don't succeed before my contract ends mid-January, we may need to put things on hold again will I find another position. We had been considering asking Florian (Dutch cousin), Pit, or Wojtek & PJ. In the end, Pj & Wojtek were in town for the Berlinale and we decided to throw out the question and see if either of them would bite. Luckily they did. So now we are embarking on this journey with Wojtek, who seems equally excited to be participating. I have been tracking my period, taking my temperature and even using the ovulation tests that Steffi gave us. Wojtek happened to be coming by Berlin in September and we agreed to give it the first go. On September 23rd & 24th, you, future child, were potentially conceived. It was not a particularly sexy process. W had to do it in our bathroom and he said it reminded him of being a teenager. And when he was done, he brought it to our room and we sucked it up in a syringe. We decided to follow the advice given to us in the DIY insemination course and use a menstrual cup to hopefully increase our chances of success. We were able to do it in our beautiful fort but Susi did have a head cold and we had a friend waiting in the kitchen. So it was funny and awkward and also really lovely to do with with Susi. I feel grateful. This month we will be travelling to Brussels to give it another shot. We have just learnt that Susi has her Bachelor defense on the day we wanted to go but we will work around that! I am not sure how I will feel if we haven't been successful in a year. I am trying not to give too much power to those thoughts. What ifs are dangerous for me and I can spiral quite quickly. Instead, I am trying to take things one step at a time. Grateful we have two uterus' to try this with should it not work for me initially and that I get to do this with my best friend who will take care of me and love me no matter how much of a nightmare I become.

Well. The show aired. Thank the lord they didn't represent me as a total looser :) Then I quit my job, they wanted me to stay so I found the balls to make my demands and show my worth! I got a raise that was maybe more than double what I was making. High five for me. I'm grateful for the raise and proud of me for standing my ground and taking a risk!

This summer, my dad came to visit for the first time in over a year. He had spent so much time telling me how long the trip was and how hard it was to drive up that is started to believe that he was more inconvenienced than appreciative of the time he was spending with our family. I had a frank conversation with him about it and nothing could’ve been further from the truth. After 8 months of feeling forgotten and resentful, I was relieved to have discussed it with him and to hear directly from him about how he was feeling.

My partner has reached a crisis point with his children and their relationship. It saddens me and I hope he can take responsibility for his actions and commit to change.

I got pregnant and now I’m a first time mom . I’m very grateful and proud of how I was able to give to myself a good pregnancy experience. I ate well, worked out, took a childbirth education course. All of this combined helped me to have a nice postpartum time. I feel inspired and motivated to shape, educate and love my little one, so she can live happy and up to her potential in life.

I had my two babies. And everything about my pregnancy and their birth was nothing like I could have prepared for. I know I still haven’t fully recovered from the trauma of them being 10 days old and fighting for their lives. But I had a job to do - be their mom and fight along side them and be the absolute best I could be for them. I am grateful they are now healthy, but I feel like the healing has barely begun

Within the past year I met the love of my life on a dating website. It's changed my outlook on life, love, and my future. I am relieved in a way to have found the person I've always wanted to find and am eternally grateful she feels the same about me as I do for her.

Yvonne and I became pregnant, and I have never wanted anything more in my entire life. I can’t wait to share my life with the family I built, the family I found and the family that made me. I am beyond grateful

A significant experience this past year is my retina detachment. It affected me in that I couldn't see at all for a bit and then couldn't see fully for a month or so. I'm grateful for the doctors who fixed it and were able to do that not invasively, and for Shosh who took such good care of me, and my parents who visited, and Emily and Ruth who made sure I was safe when walking. I'm relieved that I got all of my vision back but I'm always scared that it will happen again. I was resentful that my colleagues weren't more understanding but I don't think they really comprehended the implications. I had taken my vision, though limited, for granted, and I try to be more mindful of that.

My life partner was recruited to start a music therapy program in Texas for migrant youth. It has truly been life changing as it turned into a half-million government sub-contract that I navigated with her! It launched my career in entreprenuership and growing a small business. I reached my goal of making $100k a year salary, I experienced living a "wealthy" life, and got to put into use all my years of social justice work, leadership, administration, and program development. I saw myself in new ways, new possibilities for career; incredibly grateful to Christy for the opportunity. Her relationship building is extraordinary.

I became a bat mitzvah! I feel accomplished and most importantly, I feel like less of an imposter - even though I know, I wasn’t an imposter, even though there are so many different ways of being Jewish, this “right of passage” felt extremely validating to me.

Well, I guess it would be almost impossible not to talk about this at some point so here we go. About a month ago I found out that my now ex boyfriend had a secret girlfriend the entirety of our relationship. As if that wasn't eventful enough, turns out it was my "bestfriend" and roommate that took it upon herself to find this information out, after 3 months of us being broken up and me being almost completely moved on from him. It has been a really rough month to say the least. I'm hurt and confused and feel like my life and the way I view the world has been turned upside down. But, for what feels like the first time in my life, I am actually taking proactive steps to heal. I started therapy! Which was definitely long over due. I always thought I didn't have a big enough problem to warrant going to therapy, and even still I feel kind of stupid that my reason for finally doing it was a boy. But I guess thats just how it is. A boy was the reason my life seemingly completely feel apart so I guess it makes sense that a boy is the reason I start therapy. Anyway, for as shitty as this experience has been I feel like I'm growing. Or at least starting to grow. Part of me feels like I'm just saying that because I feel like thats how it should be. But I think at the end of the day it's true, even if it only feels like I'm making it up at this point. But I can confidently (and happily) say that I am starting to understand that even this happened for a reason. The door to that relationship was slammed shut which is great because it was definitely starting to creep back open. He shattered me when he broke up with me and I let him start to crawl his way back into my life. It sucks that this is how I had to learn this lesson but at the end of the day, I'm glad I did. And I think thats proof of me growing. I'm hoping that the last bit of pain that I'm feeling fades and turns into renewed hope. I am really proud of myself for how I've handed this and how much I've already accomplished in a month. I know that I will make it through to the other side better, even if it doesn't feel like it all the time. This has opened my eyes to truths about me, and other people, that I was actively trying to avoid and as painful and difficult as it is to accept I know that I will be better for it.

In May of 2022, on the day of Isabella's kindergarten graduation, I had a minor procedure at the last minute to remove an infected cyst. An hour later, I was violently ill and asked Gabriel to come home to help. I ended up having sepsis, and the antibiotics they gave me to treat the infection sent me into anaphylactic shock. There were so many wild twists and turns to the story - mainly that the doctor didn't believe me when I suggested that I had an infection because of the cyst or procedure and that it took dad's intervention over the phone to get her to consider this. I get chills when I think of what might have happened if he hadn't intervened. During and after it all, I felt scared, but mostly relieved and grateful. I am reminded of how precious life is, and how quickly things can change. The experience has helped me shift into a more abundant mindset and commit to cultivating joy daily.

Treatment for prostate cancer. It left me very fatigued. Relieved it's past.

After a long time in my old job, I decided to start a new challenge that was very rewarding. I met new people, and different ways of working. This fills me with joy because I have grown personally and professionally

A person I thought was a dear friend visited NYC and did not get in touch. When I saw her pic on fb I accidentally liked it and then removed the like. She then hid the photo from me. It broke my heart. But it showed me who I really was to this person and the group of friends that were associated with her... and who I was not. I deactivated FB and unfollowed her on IG to care for my heart. I needed to care for myself. I did and felt much better overall without the tentacles of social media pushing at me and reminding me of this intense loss

On February 22,2022, our beloved Pris passed away. She had been fighting lymphoma cancer for just over a year. It was so very hard to say goodbye. As sad and painful as it was for me, I was also relieved as she was no longer in pain. I miss her still.

My husband turned 60 and then had bilateral total knee replacements about 10 days later. We had an epic trip planned to New Hampshire, hike the whites, camp and stay at Mt. Washington resort. We were also going to visit his hometown. He started having increasing pain in his knees, which seems like typical age related arthritis. When we got back from our trip to FL the first week of May and he saw the doctor he was told he has no cartilage and knee replacements were imminent. He has done extremely well through this process. He maxed out physical therapy in less than 4 weeks! He was in a canoe after 2 weeks and taking a 200 hour yoga teacher training module after three weeks and then driving also, at 3 weeks. His progression has been amazing. He is soon to be 6 weeks post op and still has quite a bit of pain. He is worried how he will react mood wise when he stops taking the pain killers. I really wish he could find relief otherwise but I know this was a major procedure and I think we are just assuming the pain should be better by now. I also don't want him to be in unmanageable pain, that is not helpful. We talked about me possibly going to stay at my mom's for a few days when he stops the pain meds just in case he responds poorly with mood. Overall, I am so happy for him to be able to gain his mobility back and not be in the pain he was having. I am relieved that he has gotten through without any complications. I am so proud of him and how he has progressed at record speed. He is truly an amazing man. Nothing keeps him down!

The whole year was significant. A school year in which the children didn't often go to school, and I was home unexpectedly with them so often that, when spring came, I went a little untethered in the world, in myself, at my jobs. My heart hammered crazily all the time, and I couldn't sleep. My hands shook. I felt elated, and crushed, petrified, in love and drunk on colors and music. Like I was falling at great speed through different versions of myself. I said ridiculously flattering things to people. I smiled loonily. The customers cried in my arms. I kept a lot of it to myself, but told some people. I still feel some of it, but not to the extent that I did this spring.

This past year brought some of my highest highs and deeply low lows. Theo and I moved into a dreamy, new (to us) house, and after five years of dating we finally got engaged! These were two things that I have wanted since moving to Portland. This year we also experienced the loss of friendships and family, and we sadly caught COVID after 2.5 years of dodging it. Each one of these significant experiences has pushed me to feel the full spectrum of my emotions, which is not always easy for me when I’m stressed and it seems like numbing my feelings is the only way to carry on. I am profoundly grateful to have made it to and through each one of these events. All the pain and grief carved out a space inside me to also fully experience the vivacity of my joy and the tenderness of my love with Theo.

Nothing of tremendous import has happened this year. Life has been fairly steady. I had my predictable doubts about my relationship but those have smoothed out. I visited my parents again with my daughter and that felt joyous and fun. I feel very close to my mom now and I am very grateful for that.

I returned to Penny. Started to lose weight

We traveled back to the east coast, and then to Vancouver after a work visit. I was a bit relieved that we could go to things again but there was a worry as well. It was also really nice to see our friends get married.

I launched my audiobook career. I was excited, nervous, worried- I was worried about managing the tech, and whether or not my voice would stay the course. And, I did it! I set up the room, and got the equipment, and reached out for help, and was lucky to know someone who could guide me and take care of the technical stuff (thank you, Tim!) I feel proud, and lucky, and grateful, and daunted by how much effort/energy it will/would take me to push this into an income-producing activity, and curious to see where this will go.

My family and I took a trip to Boston that we had been planning for almost a year. There was some anxiety around the trip (I was missing three days of school at the end of a quarter to go), but I knew all of us together doesn’t happen often (the first trip with all of us since 2006). I was so grateful for the time. Getting to be with my dad and all of my siblings, even if it was just for two days, was worth it. I was surrounded by love and felt energized by it. Having to get in a car to go to the airport was so hard because I wanted more time with everyone.

i think the thing that sticks out most for me is the sad interpersonal weirdness i experienced with someone i believed was a friend. for over 14 years we had been work colleagues who had nurtured a close friendship. i think the pandemic played a major part in what transpired in that we had seen very little of each other given the lockdown we had been living through. when we finally began to have some more regular contact it felt different and like he was not completely present. long story short, we had a strange falling out over a miscommunication. he stopped speaking with me and ignored my texts. for months there was silence. this spring when we saw each other and he ignored me again i attempted to speak with him and he was cold and distant and had no interest in hearing my side of things. i felt heart broken. and confused and angry. this guy is a chaplin!!! and it felt like he was willing to write me off. i chose to walk away and let it go. my pattern is often to try and try and try to get someone to reconnect. i'm tired of that. it was very hard and sad. and it feels right to let him do him and me do me. i feel proud of myself for not getting hooked into an old behaviour.

Last year I had a miscarriage. It was always going to be our fifth and last IVF attempt, but it was drawn out in such a slow and painful way, with ovarian hyperstimulation delaying the transfer, late viability of embryos and then finally four weeks of on off bleeding, our fertility journey came to a traumatic roller coaster end. There was definite relief, trying to get pregnant was no longer going to be the cloud hanging over my every thought and action. But also deep sadness, that Elliott will never have a sibling, we will not have another child. Inspired too - to be the best mum possible for the miracle we do have, to take on new adventures and challenges for myself (to run a marathon) and enjoy being a family of 3.

Zeke died in a month. I'm very proud of the way I handled that, from weeding out issues to knowing when to stop. I'm glad he had a good last day, even though it was harder for me to do it on a good day. I'm glad his spirit is at ease. I broke my scaphoid one week to the year that I broke both feet. I'm never having an IV again unless it's life or death! I'm scared for winter, scared of how much it will hurt, nervous about moving to a place with colder winters. This random experience reinforced that I can't live in a bubble; things are going to happen, gravity is going to happen no matter how much I try to protect myself! So I've chosen to engage with risks and learn how to be stronger in my body.

Revelations from the Webb telescope. They reminded me how awesome the universe is, and how insignificant in comparison, our lives our. Yet our lives are the most important thing to us.

My grandmother passed away after years of bad dementia. I was very sad (and feel guilty about why): instead of being sad to lose her, which I feel happened with the dementia, I feel sad that I never really knew her (language barrier and distance) even though she gave up so much to take care of my family. I'm a little relieved that my grandpa and uncle/aunt no longer need to care for her, and I do feel inspired to be closer with my family and to make a little more effort with my grandpa.

E was born and was healthy. Pregnancy was not as bad as I thought. In some ways, I miss being pregnant, there were parts I really liked. Birth, was also not so horrible although did not go the way that I hoped. In the end I had to go into the theatre and have her removed with forcepts. The recovery was slow. I should have allowed myself more time to be slow. I should have said no to more people and yes to others. I wish that M and I were more in a rhythm then and that some of the ways I felt hurt didn't happen. I am relieved that it went well and I have a healthy (bli eyin harah) baby. I am struggling with feeling like myself - but working on it. There is a part that is resentful that I am no longer my own body - that I fear traveling alone with her, and that might mean I won't travel. I fear the PPD and that it will mean we won't have others. I fear that the newly onset hypothyrodism will also make it not possible for others. But for now, trying to remember to be happy with what I do have, and focus on the here and now.

Moving to Japan. It was definitely difficult and I felt extremely purposeless the first few months since it was the first time in years that I wasn't working. I was so blessed to get hired by Ricky and I am so excited to open the new store on base in just a month!

This year has been pretty uneventful when compared to the prior year. Being the "rut man" that I am that is a good thing.

Last October, while my tech lead was on paternity leave, I was the temporary tech lead for six weeks. I felt all of the above. I'm very glad I had that experience. It was transformative. I had to reach out to others for help, and be responsible to myself and my team, in a way that I have never done before. I'm glad I had the experience and I'm glad it's over. Also I got hit by a baseball and fractured my nose. I think it was more stressful being temp tech lead.

Starting College was a great experience. With no tuition (I'm over 60 and going to a state school) and Pell grants available it is everything and more!! I love being in college at my age. It's so great just being on campus - and my classmates are so much fun to talk to too!

This year was so full of significant experiences and I can't choose between them, so in chronological order: starting a new job, getting married to S at City Hall, buying a house, H's mom passing away, getting pregnant, losing the pregnancy, having the party to celebrate getting married. A mix of happy things and sad things, a lot of ups and downs!! Writing this all out here, it's hard to believe so much has happened just in the past year, and it's no wonder I've sometimes felt unmoored from my sense of myself. When I take a step back from everything and reflect on all the craziness, I think what has been most significant over this past year has been S and me really moving forwards in our relationship with each other and with our shared life goals, and that feels really, really good. I feel so grateful to have a partner I love who wants to take on these life adventures with me.

This year I had two surgeries. The knee and a hysterectomy. It was frustrating that my body required this. Sometimes it feels like I can’t get a break, health-wise. But I’m though, and feeling great. I worked my ass off to rehab the knee. I hadn’t expected the hysterectomy to be such a big deal as it was—4 weeks without work. I took it easy as advised, before getting myself back in shape once again. At this point, I’m as strong as ever. It was delightful to do all the activities that caused me pain last summer, so easily. It’s nice that the damage down below has been cleaned up—and I don’t miss menstruation. Quite a year of rehab!

I got divorced this year. It was not what I would have expected for my 2022. It was painful, and also the best thing for me. I learned so much about who I am, what I deserve, and holding faith that the best is coming in times of darkness. Following the divorce, I rediscovered myself, my freedom, and my capacity to love and be loved in return.

I had open heart surgery, a mitral valve replacement and aortic valve repair. I am so grateful that the surgery went well, unlike my prior valve repair. I am grateful that my recovery has been steady, and my surgeon was a good health care partner. My cardiologist Dr. F and I are also partnering more successfully to support my well being. I am now more fit than I was prior to my surgery. I am relieved of course, and I am reminded of how surrounded by love I am, and how fortunate I am to greet each and every day.

So much has occurred in the past year. Our son's wedding and now pregnancy; breakdowns within the family with same son and his wife; contention with a bipolar cousin that into which he brought other family memeber; three more deaths including the very recent passing of my MIL. All were significant ---- how do I choose just one? They all (except the wedding for the most part) brought feelings of grief, fear, and deep sadness. My hope is that the rifts can be remedied.

We are in the process for preparing my mother's house for sale. It is the house I grew up in from the age of 2. It has given me some unexpected feelings. I don't own a house of my own, so that has remained the most rooted location for me. Now I find myself caught between wanting to really put down roots somewhere and becoming truly nomadic. I don't know how to reconcile this contradiction.

During a scan for a different medical condition I was diagnosed with a stomach tumour. The two week wait to see the gastric surgeon was difficult as I didn’t feel I could tell anyone because they would all have questions that I wouldn’t be able to answer. Fortunately the first thing the surgeon said was that the tumour was benign. It was removed in early 2023 and I have fully recovered. I am grateful that to have access to a great medical system and that the tumour was found before it caused me any problems.

The most significant experience of this past year has been becoming a parent. We had our first child twelve days before Rosh Hashana last year. In this past year, everything has changed. He has grown so much...and I have grown so much. When I look back at my 10Q answers from last year, when I was out of my mind from sleep deprivation, still raw and sore from a c-section, literally trying to pump milk while I typed my answer, still trying to exclusively breastfeed, despite the fact that my son couldn't latch and I was in physical and emotional agony, I realize how far I've come in one year. I have more perspective now as a parent, more confidence, more ease (and if I feel that way after 1 year, how will I feel in future years?) It's been a privilege to watch our son grow from being a little baby to a little person this year, and already at 13 months old he's his own person, with his own personality distinct from mine or my husband's, his own wants and preferences. And it's been interesting to get to know myself as a mother as well - I'm a different mother than I thought I would be, different than my own mother, and yet, I feel like after a year I'm finding my strengths. It's still hard - last week, our poor little guy came down with coxsackie, so he's cranky and covered in spots, and I came down with an even more severe case of coxsackie as an adult (thankfully tested negative for covid - pandemic has definitely been a significant part of our past year too.) When a friend asked me recently to describe what being a parent is like, I said "it's like constantly toggling back and forth between heaven and hell." That's the best way I know how to describe it. One moment, your baby (now 13 month old) is lying in your lap, his chubby little hand resting on your heart, he smiles up at you, or drifts off to sleep in utter contentment, a smile still on his face, and you feel so much love for this little being, your heart just explodes. And then the next moment he's screaming, and you try everything but he will not stop screaming, his screams pierce your heart in a way no child who isn't your child's does, you feel like you are literally physically going to die if he doesn't stop screaming. But he keeps screaming. And then the next moment, he's all smiles again. And then he's screaming again. And you keep toggling back and forth, heaven to hell, moment to moment. I'll always be grateful that I'm able to be a parent though. Even when it's hard. After 7 years of infertility and IVF, I never take being a parent for granted. It is the hardest, grandest, and certainly most "significant" experience of my entire life...and this is only the beginning. I can only wonder what I'll learn about him...and about myself as a mother, in the coming year?

I had Archie! It’s cliche but my literal entire world changed that day. I always thought I was kind of a selfish person and I’ve been happily surprised that being a mom instantly made me aware of my ability to put off my desires and needs for someone else. He’s everything. I love him more than anyone on this planet. I’m immensely grateful, incredibly relieved that giving birth wasn’t half as awful as I thought, I’ve definitely felt resentful of how easy dads have it, and really inspired by Archie and moms in general. I love this life I’ve been living the last 5 months. Being a mom is so much more than I ever dreamed.

I moved to NC from Baltimore! I am SO grateful that I did. It was the right next step for me and I made it fully with my heart and intuition. I am grateful I was in touch with myself enough to do this. I am very glad I moved here alone too.

My dad died. I've been thinking about it regularly. I'm partly relieved that he got a good death, and I was there for it. I'm glad he did not suffer. I am a little sad, but know he had been in decline for a while.

Starting a new job at a massive, “dream” organization was exciting but also very challenging. I had to consciously fight my imposter syndrome daily and trust my ability to add value and cultivate meaningful relationships. At one point, I wanted to throw in the towel and go back to something familiar, safe, and small. I am so relieved that I didn’t do that. By pushing through, trusting myself, and being patient with the integration to a new company, I ultimately found myself in what has become a dream role, with solid relationships, interesting / fun work, a sense of camaraderie with my team, and a sense that there are many possibilities for my long term growth. I’m grateful I resisted my resistance-to-change. It’s a reminder to me that sometimes growth requires discomfort.

Last year at this time I was four months out from breast cancer surgery (double mastectomy). This year I am 16 months out and am still in tremendous pain. Am I grateful for my amazing doctors and my prognosis? Of course I am. But the pain? Not so much.

I met the most wonderful woman ever. Her love and support has lifted me up and I feel like it will propel me into a future of joy and happiness. More than thankful for her. Meeting her aligned with the birth of my nephew - a beautiful experience of newness and another level of love.

Gavri and Maya moved in with Connie and Michael and seem to be very serious. Know and like Michael more but Connie has promise. Conversion may be a problem. Simi is with Tim, which is good for her only on the short run. All my kids seem to be doing well. I was diagnosed with CKD stage 3, a real wake up call to fix my diet (significantly decrease salt, blood pressure and weight, as CKD (and drinking) has dangerous consequences to my heart, liver and life.

We lost Fearghal in November. I have a pain i my heart now just to think of it . He swallowed a conker around the 20 th of October and he got sicker and sicker . I miss him so much and so does Mark. The pain was so bad I thought it would kill me. So I stopped thinking and just listened to Anthony de Mello on podcast to sooth and quiet my brain. Then I felt this profound peace even in the middle of my agony of loss and my huge pain for Fearghal… I can’t explain it, it changed me.

The death of two friends, one the spouse of a close friend, and the other someone I've known since grade school. It wasn't the "cherish every day/life is uncertain" response that seems to be common in popular media, so much as considered thought about what I do, can do, as a friend, and whether I've been a good friend. Have I stayed in touch enough? Let people know what I value about them? Been open to receiving friendship? Reply hazy; ask again later.

I had our second baby in January. She wasn't planned but I thought the shift from 1 child to 2 would not be nearly as difficult as 0 to 1. I was wrong. It was much tougher than expected. I think the newborn/maternity leave phase was as expected, but getting back to work with 2 kids and my husband's new job demanding more of his time has been hard to balance.

Nothing of significance happened in the past year. Given the events of the previous 2 years, this was something of a relief.

This happened shortly after I answered these questions last year: we bought a house! Our friends/Alex's coworkers ended up selling their house last fall, and we were able to buy it directly from them, which means we got to skip the bidding wars and the endless search that we heard so many other house hunters had to go through over the last few years. It was still an incredibly stressful experience- there was so much we had to figure out financially, and we had to figure it out in very little time. It was not a step we thought we would be ready to take for at least a few years, and there were many times when we didn't believe it would work out. We are absolutely grateful to own this house, which we love. There are comforts that come with owning a home: having outdoor space, quieter conditions, more privacy, knowing that our "rent" will never go up, etc. And there are also challenges: knowing that anything that happens to the house is our financial responsibility; being responsible for shoveling the snow/mowing the grass; knowing that we can't just pick up and move like we used to; etc. But being able to call this place our own is a privilege, and I feel thankful every day that we live here.

I was divorced (after being cheated on). Recovery is not a linear process. I’m angry and resentful. But also inspired and grateful, in a way. These feelings all come and go in waves. Sometimes you’re fine and think you’ll be fine forever. And then wounds seem to reopen so easily.

I was shocked at the full-on invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. My Ukrainian immigrant family came to this country around the turn of the century because of persecutions there so at first I had mixed emotions and some stifling of my empathy. I have since learned more and realize that the Ukrainian people are regretful about the past and have worked well with the Jews to repair and include Jewish people. And of course their elected president is Jewish. That says a lot. In any case it is shocking. I can hardly imagine how many husbands and sons will be lost, how many families are uprooted, how this is affecting the rest of the world taking in refugees by the millions. And now the threat of nuclear war. What have we come to as a species?

Getting my leg better - I am very grateful that I avoid it being amputated and took a chance on the stem cell procedure.

I feel like an important experience was my beginning yoga practice. I am very grateful for it, and I look forward to it every week.

I turned 50 this year. This has been a real milestone for me and giving me pause for thought. It is made me aware of my mortality and that I need to really enjoy the journey not the destination. I do feel grateful that I have a wonderful family to share this milestone with. I’m inspired to try to live my best life for the next 50 years and not waste any time with past regrets.

I was able to go to the Womens International Conference in February in Santa Fe. In addition to being amazing I met two women from my home town and asked one of the to sponsor me. That has been an incredible experience for me - she gets all of the levels of growing up in a large family in a small town. I’m inspired by her and my sobriety is enhanced so much!

This year, I launched my own business. I started from an idea, and in 9 months, with a ton of support, I actually got it to a final product, and sold 50% of my run in the first 24 hours. I e spent my whole life believing that I can't accomplish things, that I don't have any follow through. And I'm still worried that I'm gonna mess this up somehow. But it's an actual thing, registered with the state and licensed and everything. I actually did it.

We had a baby! This is probably the most significantly life changing event that I've ever experienced. I like to pride myself on being able to rise to any challenge that I choose for myself. That being said - this is definitely the hardest thing I've ever done. It's not like the tasks of taking care of our son are so difficult, rather it's the total sleep deprivation. Now that he's 8 weeks old we have definitely gotten much better at taking care of him, but it's the biggest adjustment to our lives and there's never any going back. Every day I feel a mix of emotions, gratefulness, amazement, excitement, frustration, EXHAUSTION, but most consistently - love. I just can't help but love the crap out of our little guy.

The pandemic restrictions loosened to the extent that all of us began getting together again and I began performing (indoors). The virus infected several family members include my elderly mother, but thanks to vaccinations and Paxlovid, they did not suffer bad outcomes. The shift from lockdown mentality to negotiating each situation and evaluating its safety vs exposure has become the new normal. My friend and office manager was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal cancer, and I have been struggling to carry on my business without her skills and support.

A significant experience? Does living in Madrid for a year count or is that too long. It was a significant experience. I am grateful for that experience. I think it has and will open up a lot of opportunities for me. It got me a great job that is interesting and I enjoy. It exposed me to new ways of living and thinking and has inspired me to travel more and keep pushing myself.

facing a breaking point in my relationship, over a series of months, had me feeling sad, scared, ashamed and hopeless. I feel so fortunate to have truly turned a corner since the winter and am energized to maintain my dedication to us as a team.

My younger grandson called me gramma for the first time, and was excited to see me. Man, that was a good feeling.

This year I fought tooth and nail to help save a life. My ex-partner is bipolar, and fled into homelessness. She was assaulted badly after months on the streets, and asked to stay with us. We houses her for a few days, but she was so much more erratic than I could have prepared for. She was manipulative and wouldn't respect boundaries. Mostly I was just terrified. We took her to a hospital to get help, which she refused, so we had to tell her she couldn't stay with us. She showed up at our home after we told her never to do so. She pressured us to house her again. She wrote a hurtful letter using my Judaism to guilt me into helping her more than I could. So I broke contact. She was lined up with resources, had a different place to stay, got on a mood stabilizer. I really thought she could be okay, that maybe I'd hear from her in six months or a year, and things would be more like they used to be. Yesterday I saw her digging through my trash, her face near unrecognizable. I think she lost all her teeth...she was thrashing around and itching herself all over. It was like an absolute, waking nightmare. I feel compassion for her. I feel angry, at her and the world. I feel powerless to help because I have to keep healthy boundaries. I wish I could just take her into my home, but I can't. I don't know who can help her now. I don't know what to do. I guess it's made me more resilient. It's made.me work really hard to keep an open and softened heart. It's made.me set boundaries and really commit. It's made.me grateful for the good things that still exist in the eye of the storm. Please God, heal her.

The cultural shift around the pandemic, insistence that it's "over" has been extremely disappointing and at times horrifying. Intense cognitive dissonance, especially in circles and among people who like to see themselves as caring, inclusive, etc.

I got hired to be the administrator for the local museum of our weird town 8 months ago. It's a very strange museum with a board that's hard to work with and the location is one on the worst streets in the city (crime wise). It's been a real learning curve - I was essentially given the keys and they left. I'm the only employee. I taught myself the history of the city and how to give museum tours. Lucky to have a job that's more interesting than just working in a store - though a bit resentful that I had to get a job in the first place as the screenplay I wrote for a production last year still hasn't been produced. I guess it inspires me to write more, but with only a few days off a week now, and only one of those days with my spouse, it's hard to use my free time to write. It's frustrating.

Getting my new job has been life changing. I feel inspired, grateful, and relieved to have found a work place (and an income source) where I feel appreciated, not just tolerated. I feel lucky to find myself in a new circle of collective strength and hope. I feel lucky to be pushed and to feel some momentum toward becoming the person I want to be, through becoming the educator I want to be.

My father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This has been a scary and uncertain time for our family. I am grateful that so far his outcomes have been very good, but I am resentful that the disease and the chemo made him lose weight, lose strength, feel ill, and compromised his health and wellbeing. This experience has lead to me taking on a leadership role within the family as the medical liaison. I have been able to help my parents navigate a lot of the healthcare decisions and I’ve been able to apply my education to know what signs to look for and catch things going on with my dad. This is a privilege.

Got my knees replaced 11/3/21. Hellish nightmare. But there were positives. Couldn’t be left on my own, so for 3 weeks our crew showed up every day for 2 hours so the wifie could go out, walk the dog & run errands. Love is a verb

Hugh moved into Torrington Park and our relationship and love potentiated so beautifully! Ima and PG love him and he loves them. We are all grateful for the lovely intimate experience and special time together. Hugh proposed at Hampstead Ponds with a lovely poem, I said yes, of course, and we plunged in holding hands! This was the start of many wild water swims! Harry proposed to Meriel and she said yes! I was seconded into ELFT corporate to be the Professional Development Lead Dietitian and it has been a growing experience. I've achieved a lot in a short space of time. I feel overall grateful and inspired, loved and excited!

Perhaps the war in Ukraine. I am upset that so many seem to want to justify and enable war instead of de-escalating and working towards peace.

Being Peters mom. This feels like something I am really good at. It has changed me. Made me more go with the flow in a lot of ways. Made me think about words and communication and boundaries. Made me start practicing saying no - protecting my space and my baby - and fighting for more. Has made me a stronger and more stable woman that I am proud of.

In March of this year I stepped way out of my comfort zone and agreed to run for Baldwinsville Village Trustee as a "stealth" write-in candidate. Our slate had only a faint hope of winning, but our primary objective was to bring attention to the woefully low voter participation rate in village elections, and to compel the village government to do more to publicize upcoming elections and perhaps even move them to November when more voters can be expected to turn out. I did not win, but I received the most votes among our slate of candidates (probably due to name recognition), and we certainly did attract the notice of the village establishment. Their response was quite negative, and in some cases they expressed real anger that we had dared to challenge their primacy. Despite the residual hard feelings, the Board of Trustees, much to my surprise, approved me as a new member of the village Planning Board. This was also out of my comfort zone, but I accepted the challenge and have enjoyed my service on the board. The board chair had a lot more confidence in me than I had in myself, and urged the trustees to seat me. I'm glad he did. I still feel I have a lot to learn about municipal governance, but I'm surrounded by some very competent people and I'm paying close attention to everything and doing my best to contribute without sounding like a dummy. I'm very proud of myself for resisting my fears taking these steps into public life. This has given me a confidence and self-assuredness that I have not felt in many years, if ever.

Wow. Looking back I feel like this year has been full of significant events. Woody and I moved in together AND moved across the country to Georgia. Vanessa made it through her first year off pain meds AND came through being suicidal for over a year. I had surgery on my left knee, and the road back to full recovery has affected me more profoundly than I had expected. I became a certified skydiver! So many to choose from. Vanessa being suicidal for so long…that was by far the most challenging. Watching her suffer through severe depression and anxiety was heart breaking, and terrifying. There were several times over this last year that I had serious concerns about whether or not she would make it through. She moved home from Big Bear and jumped around a bit at first between my sisters homes before we all realized that she was in serious trouble. I had her move in with me in attempt to provide her a safe place to heal. I wasnt sure that was the right move. Living together put me in direct fire of all of her anger, fear, and darkness. Her energy was suffocating. I was doing a lot of crying and it took a lot of effort to keep the hopelessness at bay. I returned to counseling to support myself emotionally. It was such a dark time. She spent weeks on end in bed, not eating, not showering. She went through bouts of binge eating, and attempted suicide while I was at home. She lashed out at me constantly and treated me like the enemy. Fast forward a year later. Vanessa has successfully detoxed off her pain meds, been through ketamine therapy, and counseling three days a week. She is now able to smile, laugh, and handle daily stressors without a complete break down. She is making plans for her future, working and living on her own with Leche. Am I grateful?? Relieved? Inspired?? Those words don't seem big enough to articulate how I feel about how she has come through the darkest time in her young life. I want to shout it from the mountain tops. I want to post it on all the social media! I want everyone to know that there IS hope and what an amazing job she did of fighting for herself. I don't do those things in order to protect her right to privacy, but I hope that one day she will be ready to share her story. It is beautiful, powerful, and I am beyond proud of her.

My older brother got married properly in a big eventful ceremony and I chose to attend rather than sit it out. I was worried about attending the event and held onto a lot of anxiety and tension leading up to it because of difficult feelings I hold with regards to my brother and other family members. I am so relieved that event is now complete. I am also grateful that I attended because it was a very nice wedding weekend.

My dad died. This is literally the single most significant thing that has ever happened to me. I am angry, I am sad, I am broken. I am angry. Angry that I have to keep going. Angry that other things keep happening. Angry that anyone else has anything else going on. I want him back. One thing I have learned about myself: that I frequently feel better if I can help out a friend.

I have experienced success in my new job, which has quieted the naysayers in my life and in my own head. I'm very grateful at my age to have a chance to do what I do in a field dominated by much younger people. I finally hooked up with the right kind of company who has resources and appreciates my talents and work ethic.

In the past year, I became a Ph.D. candidate. I passed my Prelim exams with some luck and last-minute cramming. I was immensely relieved. A bit proud, too.

Still dealing with the pandemic somewhat. Masks are still required at work ( health/therapy facility). But strangely we mostly are used to it. Vaccinations and boosters are readily available to those who want it. So even if we do get sick it is mild. The most important thing for me personally this year is that my long distance significant other had a really bad turn and his mother was instrumental in getting him into a rehab facility in California. Afterward, he moved in with me. It has been a very big adjustment for both of us. But not in the way that you would think. For him it's like coming back home from a war. You're not the same and you cant interact the same. He has battled physical pain, depression, and anxiety in a depressing part of the country in a horrible job around other downtrodden folks for a good many years. This "good life" is a new and uncertain place. Its hard to trust it. So of course he doesn't. He would try to start arguments or just not use the finer things like a bed and a shower. Choosing his truck and the river instead. I couldn't comprehend it. But knew it was just part of the process and let it be. He is getting better and friendlier again, lol. But I am sure there are more bumps in the road ahead. So far, i have been able to side step any arguments and continue living my life full of joy and thankfulness. He will either join or not. But Life is too short to be miserable. He wants to be happy a appreciates my happiness and calm joyful outlook. But I am sure there will be many years of therapy ahead before that is the norm. We have been friends for a long time before we were in a relationship. I have successfully encouraged him to pay his taxes, get a drivers license, pay debts, and see doctors. He has taken the advice and done eh hard work to bring himself along over the 10 years that we have been talking. If all that becomes of this is that I helped save a friend from himself and gave him options to move forward then I will be happy. It was worth doing. If it ends up to be a solid healthy relationship then that's great too, but I am not counting on the later at all. It will be a pleasant surprise if it does, I think I need to focus more on my health and wellbeing. Not just to be a good model for him. But so I don't have any regrets and/or hold myself back waiting to see what happens. I'm living my best life very purposefully. Despite the strange circumstances, it actually feels really good.

I think the most significant thing to happen this past year was was starting my new job at a different nonprofit. I got out of a job where I had an abusive boss and am having to learn to rebuild my confidence for an important cause. And I am excelling at it. I am so happy to be in a better place.

This year I got Married to my love and partner. There was a moment when we were getting our photos taken on a dock at sunset and I felt like it was a true dream come true. It was blissful. I also remember looking into his eyes and seeing happy tears. I hope I never forget that day.

I got hit by a car in January, and hurt my knee. I was in a wheelchair for a while, and on crutches for many weeks after, and in physical therapy for months. It was maybe the most difficult time of my life. I'm still not fully recovered, I have some anxiety remaining, and I'm still fairly resentful. I wish I could say I used it as an opportunity to learn to appreciate life, or my physical mobility, or anything really, but instead it just feels like my life has been impacted, maybe forever, because of a total stranger's recklessness and due to no fault of my own. I didn't do anything wrong, but I'm the one feeling the results every day, for months or years.

The birth of my second granddaughter. Although I don't see her much due to Covid and other reasons, I'm glad she is in the world and I want to do what I can to leave her a better one.

I quit my job just before my 5 year mark. I now work 16hrs at 25hr each week. I cried when I realized the difference in work load. I should have been getting paid at least twice the pay with Bloodworks. Sometimes we have to take a small step back to make a great leap forward

I traveled with Emily and Kristin. Aruba, Montana, Seattle. I felt somewhat disconnected sometimes and others I had a great time. I worry that everything just runs out and becomes a grind. I see that in the lives of everyone I come across. I need to be more engaged in the world to build some meaning in it.

Hurricane Ian, good god. It has been a wake up call and a humbling experience. To discover that if I were only 10 minutes west and everything could’ve been taken from me is mind-bending. I am very grateful that my loved ones are okay. I’m so happy to be alive. The night sky never disappoints, but I mused at the ability to appreciate it still… I had way too many pb&js, but at least I could still taste and fill my stomach. The streets were piled with debris, my feet were pruned with river/shit water, the house smelled like backed up sewer and tadpole ponds, but I could still use my senses. I’ve never felt like my life was threatened before until Ian. I feel like I’ve been given another shot to do it all over and pursue everything I actually want to, and to quit settling for things because it’s familiar. Life is truly so precious and I’ve been slapped in the face by Mother Nature to take complete control of my life and my happiness. So many signs were given to me through the madness of it all, and despite the tragedy, I’ve been granted the clarity I’ve begged for for years. Also, I found a super cute red-eared slider turtle! It’s a lil baby! He was swimming in the pool for days and I finally got him out! I found out that I love turtles apparently lol. He was the sweetest thing that happened within the last week, so of course I got too attached and was sad when I released him. 🥲 I’m writing this from my cozy bed with AC and just took my first hot shower in almost a week. Things generally for me aren’t great right now, but I’m optimistic and inspired to make it better. I’m so grateful to have everything that I do knowing that not everyone can say the same at the moment. I hope I can help my community as much as I can. Everyone has been so amazing. Also thank you electricians!!! True heroes right now!

I took a chance to apply for a job with an employer who laid me off in December 2020. It took 8 months, of ups and downs and stops and starts, but the job offer finally came through in July 2022. I felt like I was where I was meant to be again and that my paralegal degree wouldn't go to waste. I am grateful for the chance to be in a job I love again. It's harder than my last go around as a hearing rep, but I'm feeling more fulfilled than I had in a long time. Bigger salary is just a fringe benefit.

Again, it has been an AMAZING year! In October (just about 1 year ago) I got a new job with Lindberg Survey - good news, it's 3 miles from here - 10 minute drive, I'm home by 2:45 and weekends off! Bad news, now that I'm not walking 4-5 miles a day at Walmart, I've put on 8 pounds that I KNOW I need to exercise to get off, but it's been really hard to get OFF the couch! Past "predictions" came TRUE!! Tandy FINALLY was hired by Southwest! She'll be based out of Houston next week. Derek started KINDERGARTEN!! Kids are growing up so fast, as they do. Michelle and Barak BOUGHT the house they were renting! Barak FINALLY got a job.. after nearly 2 years and Michelle signed a 4 year contract with a HUGE raise, which means they won't be leaving NJ anytime soon - their boys are doing great in pre-school. All in all, it's been a truly good year for the entire Westmiller-Malkin-Middleton-Walters family! In the overall "world", we're FINALLY FREE of COVID masks and other stupid restrictions that did nothing to protect anyone.. SO RELIEVED. I'd say I was relieved, but it never should have happened in the first place!

I lost two of my favorite people - my two aunts. One was way too soon, but both losses impacted me deeply. Both of these women were such inspirations to me in so many ways. And I feel like I'm floundering a bit without their wisdom and guidance. As well, I feel that I'm now the one left to keep their loved ones afloat and to hold the families together - the glue. It's a lot of pressure.

I was elected to the Denver School Board. It created the most significant change in my life since I started teaching, since mom died, since our marriage, since the kids were born. Running a campaign and becoming an elected official have resulted in significant changes to my identity. Not as much how I conduct myself but much more how others interact with me. It changed how I spend my time during the days and weeks. I have taken worse care of my physical self. I have adjusted to taking better care of my emotional self.

Gannett got married!!!!!! Greg and I drove up to Traverse City MI, stopping over night in Ann Arbor. We were carrying various items for the wedding (plates, flatware, cake stand, etc.,) including 45 plants in 3 inch pots. I had spent 4 months growing houseplants from cuttings. The 'mother plants' all had special significance: yellow kalanchoe from my stepfather (her Grandpa Bob), red kalanchoe from me, Streptocarpus saxorum I got from Stephen's college, Pothos from my plants, Tradescantia zebrina from her high school, Hoya camosa (was plant) from her great aunt & Grandma B, They grew in our basement under grow lights. We had printed tags for each with common & scientific names, general growing conditions, and the source of the plant. The reverse said "Take Me Home!" We had new clothes to wear--mother of the bride pantsuit, Greg had a new suit. We also had mailed out a lot of the invitations. It was fun being a part of the preparations. Gannett and Michael came in July and stayed with us for 2 1/2 weeks. They were wonderful. It was fun spending so much time with the two of them. The wedding was delightful. We stayed in a nice hotel right on the beach. The weather was fabulous: blue and gold. Almost too hot at moments. Stephen and Lucian joined us, flying up a day or two (before the ceremony). We helped set up for the wedding. It was in a barn at a vineyard on the Lelanau Peninsula. Rustic elegance. The rehearsal dinner was there as well. On the wedding day, I drove her to pick up some 'pie bars' for the reception. They were 4 x as big as she had expected! There were a LOT of pie bars left over. Greg and Stephen were charged with managing the shuttle bus that ferried people from the city to the vineyard, as most people were from out of town and had no transportation. There were many of their college friends there, plus a lot of Michael's family and high school friends. Gannett was gorgeous in a dress with a lace top--short sleeves, sheer, a strapless bodice liner, a long, full (not Antebellum full) skirt. Her hair was braided, with pearls. She wore pearl earrings and a pearl necklace. Michael had a custom suit from China. Her bouquet was formed from soft, 'inflated' wood. There was a swag of the same flowers on the arch where they said their vows in front of a cherry laden orchard. It went well. Michael and made playlists for all parts of the event, and a cousin ran the PA. The festivities went until late. The food was good. The cake was cute. We all danced, looked at the moon and stars (very, very clear sky). We stayed in the area for an extra day so we could do a little sightseeing and then drove home. How do I feel? Grateful it went well. Happy that my baby is grown. Hopeful that she has made some excellent choices. Good heavens! We're so lucky!

My rapist died, and a few months later his wife died. I am grateful and relieved. He can’t hurt anyone else now

A significant experience that has happened in the last year is that I became bedbound. There's been some good. It's forced me to distil what is most important to me. Prioritise the people who prioritise me. Mutual relationships. Chosen family. But it's mostly been really hard in a lot of ways. I feel much more isolated, especially compounded with the pandemic. I can't go outside to meet up with people, and it doesn't feel safe to meet indoors. And I don't have a lot of extra social energy for folks outside my chosen family anyway. There's a lot of grief. Grief is the big emotion. I miss being able to Do things. I miss cooking, doing art, sewing, playing cello and guitar, doing projects around the house. Heck. Even Cleaning! I miss being able to do embodied things that grounded me in my body. Where I could listen to music or podcasts and feel physically capable. The satisfaction and grounding of doing physical tasks. I miss the outdoors. This is the second autumn I'm missing. My favourite season. I miss the crunch of leaves under foot. The crisp smell of the air. Looking at summer clouds. Seeing the first flowers of spring. Seeing ants crawling up a blade of grass. We don't even have capacity to open my curtains most days, and even when they are open, my bed isn't in a place where I can see out. We need much more caregiving support, but that is inaccessible due to bureaucracy. And I have so little capacity to do the myriad administrative, bureaucratic, and medical tasks in the hope of having a more supported life. It's wearying how little society prioritises caring for disabled people at all, and especially while staying within our homes. How inadequate and even destructive medical care is. I struggle to not feel resentful towards all the doctors whose medical neglect and malpractice led to me being bedbound. I definitely feel a lot of anger there. Anger at all the doctors who told me I should be doing More, not less. Who forcibly steered me away from the rest my body so desperately needed for Years. Who shamed me out of using the mobility aids I needed. Shamed me into not listening to what my body needed so that I learned to ignore what it was screaming at me until it was too late. Until I had overexerted myself into bedbound oblivion. We need doctors who understand energy-limiting chronic illnesses. Who understand ME/CFS—that pushing through will irreversibly limit our future doing. We need doctors who listen to patients. Who Believe patients. We need society to give a shit about disabled people. To take the ongoing pandemic seriously. To realise that the pandemic is a mass-disabling and mass-death event. That long covid is basically what I have. Because if doctors and society Don't grasp that magnitude, if we Don't actually live in a way to protect ourselves and each other... so many people will die preventable deaths. So many more people will have chronic illnesses similar to what I have... So I feel angry. Scared. Despairing... Because even many of the people who claim to love me seem to be moving on from this pandemic, and that is terrifying, because it is still very much here.

I met someone who I let myself fall in love with very quickly and very easily. I hadn't been in a romantic relationship in a very long time, for a lot of different reasons — fear, complacency, etc. — and I decided to dive in headfirst with this person, within weeks of knowing them. It didn't work out; it's left me kind of an emotional wreck ever since. There have been attempts at friendly reconciliation, semi-romantic reconciliation, and finally a complete parting of the ways that remains unresolved, with a lot of non-closure. I haven't felt this depth and breadth of emotions in a romantic sense in almost ten years. I hold so many feelings about how this person and situation affected me. I am both grateful and resentful that this person reminded me of how much I want to find a partner in life. I am distraught that we couldn't part amicably, yet at the same time relieved that I may never speak to them again. I am terribly upset that we couldn't make it work but also extremely hopeful that this person finds happiness, even though it won't be with me. In any case this has led me to examine and re-examine a lot of my own actions (or more accurately, non-actions) in helping myself to live the life I aspire to. I have changed my perspective on so many things, including but not limited to dating and romantic relationship building, finding fulfilling social activities and community, communicating my own needs and setting boundaries, committing to going to therapy consistently, asking for and giving support in friendships, identifying environments in which I thrive, the list goes on. In the end, I am optimistic that this turn has been a tremendous time of personal growth; I just wish that it wasn't rooted in heartbreak and sadness.

I fell in the tub. After last year’s cancer battle, I thought that my troubles were over for a while. I now realize how fragile this human physical vessel is. I really know now that I am 70, not 20, and I need to do more to increase and keep my body’s strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance. I need to be more careful in my movements and not take health for granted. That broken rib meant that I couldn’t breathe deeply, so I had to start walking all over again and increase by 5” a week. Now I don’t get short of breath and I walk faster, so that I walk farther in 30”. I’m suddenly aware that everything in our bodies are connected.

My band recorded and released a new single! I am proud of the work that went into it, but I still feel a yearning to supersede myself with greater creative work.

This year, I had a phenomenal experience of going to the hospital and getting a bilateral salpingectomy, the “gold standard” for a tubal ligation, which I’d wanted since I was 19. It was a day of synchronicity, connectedness, clarity, and strength. The medical team who took care of me in surgery was amazing: so present, compassionate, and smart. So was my dear friend, who generously hosted me and cared for me so adeptly afterward. My recovery went optimally, too. Since then, I’ve felt safer, stronger, and calmer than ever in my body. I rejoice at being alive. And I set the intention for us all to experience such affirmation of our own power and our own choice.

Wow well being told I have cancer was significant!!! It scared the daylights out of me… but I have been much stronger than I ever realised. I’m getting on with life but also being kind to myself 😊 I am grateful because I listened to my intuition and didn’t just ‘trust’ what I have been told. I pushed and it’s probably saved my life!! I feel relieved that I know what’s wrong and happy to now get it sorted. I’m also looking forward to living my life knowing that I have faced to biggest fear but been ok!

I realized that my marriage sucks - I'm sad - I'm hopeful it can still get better yes I'm a bit resentful I gave the best years to this marriage

My mom got a new boss. A mean one. It hurts me just as much as mom. I’m resentful.

I cut my parents and family off, and started to delve deep into myself: answering the question, who am I? What are my needs & wants? What do I like?? Now, in October 2022 I am somewhat relieved, but it has been a very slow painful process.

Hurricane Ian has swept into the end of this year, a surprise and a reminder. A surprise that the universe can be so mighty despite all human endeavors, and a reminder that we always have opportunities to love and support each other and our community. I am inspired to nurture the land and community even more nearly. Downed trees will be milled to make shelves for my new house. Friendships will be cherished for the depth of vulnerability we all shared. New growth will sprout from devastation.

Seeing most of the office resign their positions. It left me shook up, as both of the coworkers that left had been working in the office together for the last three years. And then in the span of six months, it would lay the groundwork for me to say that I had enough of being so stressed out every day.

I made the decision to retire from full time work. Joe's health was a factor that hastened the timing but I was also so ready to see what a sense of flow and listening could bring...to my art, to my life, to finding out what meaning and purpose could look like beyond a sense of duty to an outside entity. I thought it would be hard. It really wasn't but I have had to be patient with the transition. I liken it to when a sail slacks as the wind shifts. You have to pause and assess before a change in direction. I am still in the slack space. But it is ok.

I went to Israel for my Birthright Trip. 1. It changed my life. 2. I am grateful for the experience, and I'm glad to have a rite of passage that connects me with other North American Jews. 3. Relieved...? I guess so...? It was nice to finally come to the place that has been talked about by both my culture and religion of birth and the new (to me) community of Jews who see Israel (either the modern nation-state or the ancient kingdom/peoplehood/region/civilization) as a central component of their identity and sense of belonging. It did feel like a homecoming of sorts, but I also see many, many of the problems with painting the nation-state, which is actually very complex and messy, with the same idealistic brush as the ancient place. They are two different things. 4. Yeah, I*am* resentful. I'm resentful of the fact that so many Israelis (and American Jews!!!) felt the need to mistreat the Jews of Color on my trip. I heard about all the terrible things they dealt with like being spat at, being glared at, having people say racist things to them, or in my case, being profiled by shopkeepers in the shuk in Jerusalem because of the color of our skin. It made my blood boil. And yet this is a place they *say* I'm supposed to emigrate to?!?! No thank you. I get enough racism right here at home. 5. It was an inspiring trip, despite the parts what were absolutely infuriating. I did leave a lot, and I do want to come back, but perhaps with a group. I don't want to face the place alone. I get the feeling it would chew me up and spit me out.

Giving birth! Relief; Excitement; Nostalgia; Guilt; Confusion; Panic; Curiosity; Reflection; Joy

Mental health struggles of our youngest child. Her attempt to live independently with friends in another city failed with tragic consequences, including two suicide attempts in the last three months. In deepening my understanding of her mental illness, I am coming to grips with being fundamentally powerless to fix things for her. Rather than resentful, I feel sad. I mourn the loss of my child's innocence and am frustrated by the demons that torment her. I am coming to accept that I have a young adult child who is struggling with a life-threatening condition.

We got married!!! Planning the wedding absorbed almost all of my free time, but in the end I an so grateful that we got to celebrate our love and our choice to create a life together while surrounded by family and friends.

I moved to Israel this year. I’m incredibly grateful and relieved to finally accomplish a goal I’ve had for years. I feel proud of myself and inspired to dive deeper into Judaism and cherish the beauty of this country.

This past year was a lot of growth for me. A relationship I thought was going to go farther ended, I set new boundaries with very close friends, competed in a triathlon, started a new very serious relationship, moved into my own place for the first time, even got let go from a job I didn't really like, which made me ... not the happiest, and got Covid. I would say the most impacting event though was moving into my own place. It made me feel so accomplished because I had wanted to live alone for a long time and finally had the courage to do it. A year before (August 2021), I was really struggling with boys, feeling sad, my dad being sick, and a job I hated, and I just felt like everything was crumbling. I was so proud to be able to take this step in living alone, and I have loved it so far. I know I'm not really alone alone but paying my own rent, feeling more adult, and making moves on my own feels really good and special. It makes me feel a little less scared in the world, and it also shows me I can do anything I put my mind to, which makes me feel hopeful for the future.

I went into depression again and very thankful so I can remember how it feels and get more spiritual about my life and change some things I thought I'm not going to have to because it's gonna go away I'm very grateful it gave me the muscles to work and life coming up

As I try not to read last year's entry, but my eyes cannot draw away from seeking any fragment of hope in despair, or a learning that I didn't know I'd achieved, I find the answer is similar. 2022 has paled in comparison yet again to the significance of 2019, which I am finding hard to believe is three years ago. He is married and has a house with her now; a bitter truth I never wanted to acknowledge. The heartbreaker became the happy. I do not wish him happiness nor peace, but indifference. The cleanse I mentioned in the 2021 entry has continued, and silence across the board is best for my mental stability. I have continued to reassess and rearrange - there have been significant moments of light, like meeting the men who turned out to be fleeting, or the ones who gave an enlightened teaching and affection in a futile way. I have been close to many and close to few. I have felt desired, discarded, and undetermined at times. The depression has crept into my bones and saturated my muscles more than previous years, but I have also sought sunshine and fresh beginnings. And I am desperate for change. There is the promise of a tropical escape in the pipelines, friendships to rekindle, and those to wane from. My best friend has been evasive and distant; I have lost her to who only understands what. I also believe I am someone's dream - the nurturing and sustenance they had all but wanted for years - hope of finding them must not be quashed. Despite the deep undercurrents of distain for my situation, as I turn the corner of my torn-grip twenties and enter 30 - I have become comfortable in my skin, find beauty in the features I questioned, and learn a gentleness to myself I never normally allowed.

I haven't really had any significant experiences.

My experiences are often travel-related. The European Tour with my band was everything I'd hoped for and more. I want to do it again!!

Finishing Uncle Michael’s estate in late April. It makes it possible for me to move to Vermont, and to have the freedom of time and in life choices. I am relieved of the heavy burden that linked together such a time of loss.

New job (same company) - grateful, relieved, inspired, energized/jazzed Spouse's hospital stays - Sad, alone but supported, capable, appointed. He has experienced everything from a mild cognitive impairment (losing a few of his nouns) to full coma status, with no pain response, eyes closed and no response when opened by hand. Although he is frustrated with the loss of nouns, he is totally memory-absent for the full loss of consciousness, which has become so common that he was hospitalized twice in one week (this one) requiring medical procedure to flush his bowels to bring the ammonia down far enough to become aware again. Learned a new physiological detail of what his body has accomplished. It seems to have shunted past the liver so the ammonia is not cleared from circulation, and subsequently bathes the brain to the point that he is in a coma. Change in diet (basically attempt to eliminate as much protein from it as possible, especially animal protein); and likely a procedure to change the physiology of the process that has become his body's most frequent management of the poison (ammonia).

leaving my job because my bosses did the wrong thing. It has been hard.

I left my job at Bend the Arc and started a new job at JVP. After many years, I'm finally professionally back in Palestine Solidarity work. It feels amazing to be out of a job that meant a great deal to me but burned me out and didn't value me enough nor the people I organized. I'm looking forward to seeing what the future with JVP has in store.

I have been introduced to my peacepal, D. He is being held by ICE. We've been writing since July. He is just 23. I am grateful to have an opportunity to write to him and bring him some light. I am so sad about how our country treats people who come seeking a better life. Right now I'm concerned about him but trying to send love rather than worry.

The most significant experience that I've had in the last year was my husband's months long case of post-Covid. He lost his appetite, had problems with his ear, his eye, his stomach, and parathyroid, got terrible headaches, suffered from highly erratic blood pressure, and it even impacted his mental health. He saw many doctors and got few answers. After many tests, we finally found a Covid specialist who confirmed that it was post-Covid. By then, he had pretty much recovered, but having that answer was remarkably helpful. I am grateful that our marriage survived, because the mental health issues nearly killed it.

I ended my relationship!!! I looked back at my answers from last year and it was all I was talking about and I did it. It was an anchor. It was not a good fit and I was miserable. I am climbing out of the aftermath of ending it but at least it feels good to be on the other side. Life is hard and I am probably depressed but I am going to keep pushing through and healing and hopefully make it to the other side happy and healthy (emotionally, mentally, and physically)

Aside from marrying the love of my life in a beautiful private secret ceremony, I also became a store manager faster than I thought possible! It very well could be there wasn’t anyone better who applied, or they really wanted a person of color…. Either way, I got it. Leanne has been beside herself about what is happening at Disney springs with leadership. I’m so glad I took this chance! I am excited, scared, proud, sad…. I think I can make a huge difference here, but what if I fuck up big…. I have already done amazing things, but I miss my sweetie. We haven’t opened yet as I write this but this past year has been so many changes. Even Nathan works for lululemon now. My life, my world is lululemon. Good thing I LOVE IT!

A couple of weeks ago I finally contracted COVID, and the fear and experience were not connected (the fear was greater than the pain/anguish of being ill). I have been called cavalier about my attitude toward the disease, but I question whether we have so much to fear since Humans have survived these events before - and the experience has made us stronger as a species.

oh good Lord. 2nd - and 3rd - cancer metastases. Wow has this made me: - sad to not be around to enjoy things, - grateful I probably won't live to see worse things happen to the planet and our country, - worried for my friends and family who will have to see those things. I'm finally starting to come to terms with my inevitable death which, overall, is a good thing.

Wow where do I begin. This has been the most transformative year of my life thus far. I traveled the world, started writing my first book, found the person I want to be with for as long as possible — I walked away from Corporate America and went off script for perhaps the first time in my life. I am flying. And while this year has also been filled with so many hard things, I know they woke me up to some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever could have imagined. If I had to pick one significant moment it is my decision this past spring to go travel and write for absolutely no reason. This taught me to trust myself. This taught me that home is something we create. This taught me the things I hope to teach my future kids one day.

A lot of significant things have happened to me this year... In October, I went off my psych meds. That was a dumb idea. But in the end, I think it was a good thing because I realized that they were also suppressing my positive emotions. No hatred on anyone who takes them, and I am definitely glad I did for the time I did. But I'm also glad to be off. I think things will be better. In February, I got married. It was an intimate RPG-themed wedding, and it was a lot of fun. Things with hubby are pretty good, though we also got into a fight about my weight, which I just don't know how to handle. In May, I admitted that I had no solution to the debt I was secretly sinking into, and I joined Debtors Anonymous. I still haven't told hubby about it. Or my mom, even if she's in a 12 step group herself. I'm terrified how they'll take it. I still haven't found a sponsor, but I've been going through the workbook by myself, and attending meetings at least once (usually twice) a week. I do seem to be crawling out, however slowly, and I am finding hope again. I look forward to getting everything paid off and cutting up my credit cards. In August, my grandmother died, which was surprisingly not upsetting? She had dementia, and this was a long time coming, so it was probably a good thing in the long run? Though I feel guilty for taking to long to visit her while she was in hospice. Four days later, we had to put my cat down. He was not quite 3 years old. So that actually ended up being more upsetting. I still miss him a lot. Pounce was my first cat that I really had as an adult, and we were close. He would follow me around the house and greet me whenever I got home and guard me while I was in the shower. He even read Tamora Pierce books with me. But of course he did. He was named after the constellation cat in her Tortall books. I just wish I'd gotten to keep him as long as Beka or Alanna. But I guess a constellation does as a constellation will.

Last year i developed (with the association that i am president) a project in which has produced a movie about the evolution of women rights in Portugal . We interviewed 10 women from elderly associations and they Spoke about their life experiênce from before 25th april 1974. We showed the film at schools and debated the film with the students. I felt superpowered in all the project when i Saw the results. That was something terribly new. At first i was affraid but then it was marvellous to see the impact of knowledge passes from the elderly to the students, and the conexion made me happy that i made something to Change someone mind's.

In sports terminology, this has been a rebuilding year. Coming out of the pandemic I tried to regain ground with my business, and have been fairly successful at it. I still feel very much behind the 8 ball, but I'm trying to treat myself with grace.

Han and I went on an amazing honeymoon to Sicily and Croatia. It went so smoothly that we're feeling very motivated about travel and planning out next trip. Of course, family planning might interfere with that, but I think it helped us consider the value of even a long weekend trip.

A significant experience that happened in the last year is that I started to go to therapy for the first time in over a decade. I am grateful that I found a very good therapist and that she works with EMDR for current day issues. I was afraid to delve into childhood trauma, and it turns out that I do not have to for the time being. Working with her has given me more space in my mind and heart. I am less frantic, less rushed. Things in my life and in my mind have calmed down. I felt scared to reach out. It was hard to call the Richmond Foundation and to start seeking assistance. I was in a hole. With her help, I am learning how to allow myself to relax, how to let go of alcohol, and how to feel more free. I'm learning to unpack my relationship and to see it.It is a blessing to spend time with her. I feel a little lighter, a little more clear, a little more free in every session.

This year I finally was able to get the cervical spine surgery that has been creating debilitating pain for several years now. As a woman I struggled finding doctors that believed I was actually dealing with a severe herniation - I was in pain 24/7 - the very next day after the surgery I woke up pain free physically but then had to spend a few month unwrapping all the trauma associated with the injury, including historical trauma as both my grandmother and mom had similar surgeries - the doctor said they had no idea how bad it really was until they got in and basically said my disc was like shredded crab meat - I am now the recipient of a titanium disc and have been given 100% clearance - now restrictions and am free to be me again - it has been a long road and some days I forget what it was like to have the pain and how I just worked through it. I am inspired to continue to do good things and perhaps learn so new tricks. I am pain free and drug free for the first time in almost 10 years and it feels great!

I moved to New York. It was such a hard thing for me to do. And I feel guilty for not continuing to go through with it. But it made me realise how much I need a change in my life and that I’m not satisfied. It makes me realise next time I go back I need to lean into the discomfort.

I graduated with my masters degree. Who would have though? When in high school, Ms. Clarke told me I wasn't good enough for Suffolk. I wasn't good enough for support, or learning, or to better myself. No one saw the potential but my Mom and Dad. No one saw who I was becoming and how important it was for me to do what I want, not what was expected. And look at me know, Amanda G*****, M.S. I really showed myself I could do it, even though I spent most of the time struggling and questioning myself, I proved that I was not someone who gave up or gave in. I finished, I ran my ass across that finish line with an A on my thesis and a 3.9 grad GPA, no questions about it.

My parents getting divorced. It changed my life, how I do things, my schedule, etc. It’s kind of sad, but I’m getting used to it.

Parents meeting finally! It was nice to 'get it out of the way' but also to see how they interacted and managed to have a good time in a new context (especially my parents, and I think that they enjoyed doing something a bit different even if they rarely do that anymore (dad anyway!)). It also made us both see that our families are weird and wonderful and now we have got that off the list it doesn't need to be a big deal anymore!

Amazed at how good my life is now in every way, home situation, family, public respect, friendships. I'm very grateful

A significant experience I had this year was traveling to Israel with a group of people who I love. I went with the Magen S.T.A.R program, led by Rabbi Sakhai. The trip was perfect and it was nothing I expected in a good way. The 18 days I spent on this trip were unlike none other. They were filled with extreme joy, happiness, and love. I was the happiest I had ever been. I felt a strong connection to the land that brought me energy. This experience has boosted my spiritual growth. I feel a stronger connection to Israel, the Jewish people, and most importantly G-d. These connections make me who I am. I take Shabbats, prayers, and other religious activities more seriously unlike before. I have begun reading the Aneni and books that revolve spirituality. I will never forget the memories I created on this trip and always wish to go back. I thank G-d everyday for making this trip so amazing and would not replace the memories for the world.

Watching my daughter go through miscarriages and a successful pregnancy. It's inspiring me to refocus my life on what's really important - FAMILY.

i got covid for the first time. i'm a type 1 diabetic, so the possibility of complications has been terrifying for the entirety of the pandemic. but i'm okay. i'm really glad for that.

My Father started working w tue World Academy of Arts and Sciences as well as the UN to create a global program called human security for all. This will hopefully help address basic needs for all people. Clean air, water, good food and homes. Me and my father used to fight on issues around global warming and the energy problems. Now he is helping to create a better world for everyone. I am grateful it was beyond anything O would have imagined. I am also inspired. And there is a pain of sadness for my Dad suffered and continues to suffer from the cancer treatment he got prior to this life change. I wish he didn’t have to go through that.

A long-ago former lover reached out to me in June –and although nothing has happened between us, just being remembered and sought after emotionally after all these years – it revived some aspect of my former self that I had buried and neglected for 45 years. It brought me a moment of validation, hope, reconnection and optimism about my potential to reclaim and reintegrate with better angels of my younger self.

Our office has officially gone hybrid- and while I am sure we are all still evolving, there is no denying the seismic shift in the way office-jobs work. I am trying to be grateful, to tap into the joy this flexibility brings me. If it hadn’t come via the pandemic, it would be a dream beyond my wildest imaginings. And yet it is hard to settle into.

This year, my husband and I realized just how far apart we’ve grown. It has been an ordeal filled with all of those qualities…resentment, gratitude, relief, inspiration. What an important yet scary endeavor to undertake…rebuilding us. We are not there yet. I hope to continue to work on this throughout the next year…sometimes having to break things down before building it back up in a stronger way, G-d willing.

I feel like anything significant didn’t happen to me as much as I made it happen: changed jobs which was a relief and also a greater burden than expected. Decided to stop letting me self get upset by Len’s outbursts and separate myself from his emotional immaturity. Which I’ve mostly been successful with and feels relatively liberating.

I did this one thing with these people and it was pretty crazy.

when I was having an argument with my friend for a dumb reason. It ruined both of our days. the next day we talked it out and realized it was stupid.

I am raising a baby, who is now almost 2. Every day with him is significant, full of new inspirations, discoveries, joy.

I went to rehab at Beit T'Shuvah and it totally changed my life. I am truly sober for the first time since I was 17. Relief is an understatement. Inspired, of course. Grateful beyond words.

The most significant experience this past year has probably been working at a large company and having a little bit of money. That was great! We were able to plan for the future, pay down some debts, start thinking about options. I guess that leads to my son's bar mitzvah -- that was amazing, able to be held in person, relatively safely, during Hannukah. He worked so hard on it and I was so proud to bring my family together for a happy occasion. Unfortunately because I was in over my head, I was let go from that job after about 6 months, and again I have been job searching. At least at that time I was able to focus on my younger son's diagnosis with learning disabilities. I now feel so so tired and exhausted. I also think that the way some family responded to the bar mitzvah - not because of the pandemic but because of who they are - was very telling.

The Dobbs decision overturning Roe vs Wade. I'm scared for the future, and feel belittled as a woman. I hope I am inspired to make local changes for the better, but I'm worried about the world we live in.

To start thinking about my 10Q answers, I made a list of some of the events of the past year. It's surreal to see how much of what I'd consider "adventure" is on it—especially given that the previous two years had almost none. There was my first flight since 2019, and an absolutely epic three-week road trip (from which my brain is still kind of foggy). There were a number of protests and marches, meaning I was in the middle of large crowds more regularly than I had grown accustomed to. And, of course, I turned 50. Before the pandemic, I would have assumed that the milestone birthday would have been the focal point. I would have assumed there would been an appropriately significant trip planned around it. Instead, I turned 50 pretty quietly. Mark took me to dinner at a restaurant that was being diligent about its vaccine protocols (only my second meal out since the pandemic started), and it felt glorious to enjoy a tiny bit of The Old Normal—even though my anxiety was buzzing the whole time, reminding me that it was anything but normal. I was feeling a bit depressed leading up to the day, knowing it wasn't going to come with the fanfare I wanted, but in retrospect I don't feel sad anymore. When she's asked her age these days, Pam routinely tells people, "I'm the same age I was when the pandemic started." And while I absolutely, without question, feel older, aged by the pandemic along with all the expected stuff that comes with time (hello, perimenopause), this idea of suspended animation really resonates. Maybe it's more accurate to say that what I actually feel is wiser, not necessarily older, at least in the traditional sense. And when I think about it that way, the significant experience of turning 50 in the middle of a pandemic feels less like an opportunity missed than an evolution to a new mindset. And that's something to be grateful for.

Isn't that interesting...nothing stands out for me...in the whole year... It seemed that like just happened and nothing stands out.

I removed ten years of non-profit materials from my home's storage. So relieved!

A significant experience has been going through my first medical School interview. After going through three application cycles and never getting to this point it has been validating but I also feel very grateful to get to this point. I wholeheartedly believe I can be an amazing doctor and that my story and my resilience has the power to influence many.

I auditioned for a play called "Elsewhere", and I was really hoping to get the main role. That didn't happen, instead I got a side role, which made me want to drop out of the play. I had a long talk with my mom about it, and I realized that it doesn't matter whether I have the main lead or a side role. What really matters is that I look at what the main leads are doing, and better improve my acting. I am really excited!

I discovered Senior Planet last November. None of their physical centers is close to me, but due to COVID their classes were all on Zoom. I learned a lot from single session classes on a variety of topics. I am continuing with on-going groups including fitness, book club and creative get-together. Despite being on-line, it feels very welcoming and personal. It has helped combat loneliness and made me less of a couch potato.

I began working toward a new degree to seriously pursue my passion. I am so grateful for having a job that allows me more flexibility to add things into my schedule like school.

Losing my position at work really did have a negative impact on me. I felt bitter, ashamed and regretful. Mostly I felt and feel sad. I miss my team, the rituals I created and the culture we had. I am learning to let go of the way people treated me when I thought I had power. At this moment I feel…stronger. I know I will do things differently. How else could I have let go of my addiction to achieving than to fail, to try, fail and again to try and fail? Now I know who I am inside without that. Now I know. Now I know. I feel open and curious about what will change inside of me now. I feel afraid because I fear tough times are coming and I won’t be able to rest on the validation that comes from earning so much money. But I am willing to work to change - and I am starting to ask, what if I really don’t have to need or care about others’ opinion? Can I be freer, truer and more alive at work and everywhere?

The pandemic continues to shape our lives, I work in public health so I experience it continuously. It reshaped how I interact with people, and am slowly finding my way back. I grew weary this year of anger and hatred that perpetuates in our society. Witnessing the invasion of Ukraine, something that seems a relic of the 20th century. I felt tremendous empathy towards the people of Ukraine, yet felt powerless to do anything. Events like the pandemic or a senseless invasion cause me to reflect more deeply, and wonder how I can help.

There are SO many experiences over the last year that are significant. I met my partner, I let him go, just to regret it and end up together anyway. I let go of my fear of abandonment and I moved into his apartment. But the one that affected me most was that I quit my job due to burn-out. After years of wanting to leave, years of stress and tiredness... It was enough. Thanks to the nudge of of my partner after a particularly stressful month and a horrible discussion with my bosses - he said he would take care of the big bills - I felt able to actually quit. At first it made me feel strong, determined to go after my own goals, work for my own values. It empowered me. But after being burned-out for almost 3,5 years, and not properly taking care of it, my body caught up with me and made me stop completely. It spiraled out of control and I sat down and did pretty much nothing for the following three months. Until I finally accepted it and actively started working on my recovery. I am incredibly grateful - to my partner - but also to myself for allowing myself this experience. It led me to recovery, it led me to a position where I can start achieving my goals and work towards my purpose, do what I a passionate about. Without feeling anxious or fearing that I won't make it. I am so inspired and motivated to get going and start this new journey now after being at home for 6 months.

Right before the holiday I met Arturo. I hope it goes somewhere, but for now it's fun and I enjoy learning new perspectives from him. I almost gave up on finding a new boy friend! Of course, there was also Ts bat mitzvah and a great trip to Israel after and a trip earlier this year to Italy, so what a great year overall!

Six significant experiences have happened in the past year: 1. I started grad school in March to get my MBA. I'm grateful for the opportunity to do this. I kind of did it on a whim and ended up being accepted. I never thought I would. It's the best and most challenging thing I've ever done. 2. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law moved in with us in May. I thought it would be for a few weeks. It's been 5 months and counting. Sometimes I'm grateful; sometimes, I'm resentful. I'm just trying to do the right thing. 3. I was fired from my job...after I quit. Things had been toxic there for a while. My time there ended was not as I wanted it to be, but it was the best thing for me. I haven't found a new job yet. 4. My son graduated high school and started college. I'm grateful he's at a university he loves, but I miss him. 5. My daughter graduated middle school and started high school. I forgot how complicated the inner life of a teenage girl is. 6. I turned 50. I'm grateful I made it to this age, but also grappling with it.

My grandmother died last year and on my last visit when she was awake and talking, we read Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud". She remembered it with great fondness, as a staple of English lessons when she was young. Every time I see daffodils now, I am reminded of that final chance to spend time with her, to bring her flowers, to talk about the coming of spring.

re-connecting with Bill Palmer-- discovering a wonderful poetry partner and a deepening friendship

I got a job! My first actual job. I started so eager and then it all went so downhill. My two colleagues, two ladies in their late 50s, early 60s, completely sucked the fun and enthusiasm of it all. Although generous when it came to sharing their knowledge of the activities developed at the office, they were also intransigent and seemingly unable to tolerate my mistakes. And they knew it was my first job and that I lacked any experience but they didn't care. They made my life miserable every single day. It was torture to work with them and all I cared for was the lunch hour and the end of the day so I could get away from them and enjoy time with my family. Needless to say, I was seriously not motivated and that dictated my sacking, six months after starting. My feelings about that were mixed: sometimes I felt like a failure but most of the time I was relieved to be free from those two harpies. It didn't help that our chief was so dependent on the excellent results they provided. He just didn't care enough to keep me motivated. It was just easier to get someone else. I bid that new person good luck and hope he/she will be luckier than I was. On a positive note, once again I delved even deeper in meditation to find a balance and stay focused on my daily tasks at work. I found about Sadhguru and his teachings were quite useful. I also started to value time with my family even more than ever. That's where all the love is.

I finally had my first presencial semester in university. That’s cause I started my major in 2020 and due to the pandemic we had online classes up until now. It was amazing, since I had last had real classes in 2017 due to my health problems. It was delightful to see how I had evolved in my social skills. I loved having actual classes. I must admit it was a relief, since I was scared I would feel the same way I did in high school. But I didn’t :) Also, I finally met Gabriel in person!

I had to get a job in May because I no longer had enough income from being self employed. It’s been the most demoralising and depressing few months I can remember and I hate every single day I have to be there. I hate it. Also our last dog died and I miss having a dog so much. Every single day.

A girl and I that had been dating for about 7 months broke up in December. We then continued to act like we were in a partnership for another 5 months. At the end of that period she started dating someone new and I was absolutely heartbroken. I'm still resentful. That's a good word. And sad. And angry. But also feeling acceptance and gratitude we had the time we had together. I also feel a major sense of loss no longer having her in my life because I drove her away with my inability to handle rejection gracefully. I'm feeling hopeful I can someday repair that friendship and have this woman whom I cared so deeply about back in my life.

(Setting the stage: 2 years ago: I got divorced after 29 years of marriage because my husband, who doesn't attend church, didn't like that I changed religions, even though it didn't affect him.) Last year I moved to Tucumcari, New Mexico. I moved back home to Oregon. I lost my home, i got a new apartment, i got a new job, i lost my job but was offered a different position with a new company by the same parent company because they liked me and got a raise at the same time, i started dating my ex husband. It's been a busy year.

We became homeless after selling the house. The USA is on what appears to be the brink of financial crisis and war. It's been a very long learning journey so far.

Undoubtedly the most significant think to happen this year was the start of my first ever relationship. Going from friends to roommates to best friends to lovers was a chaotic and miserable process much of the time and I'm not sure we'll ever recover and yet I cannot help but feel this overwhelming sense of joy at the memory of it all. To have grown up and communicate and give and share and grow as I go are things I'm so proud of myself for and and so grateful to I. for helping me through it and helping make something delicate and broken but so so beautiful too.

I went back to work at my old school full time after two years off. I'm of course more tired and have less time, but I like being back in my element and hanging out with lovely colleagues and students. It feels right, so relieved is a good word. Also grateful, because it's a financial help.

The whole experience of being in Israel for 10 months. It truly gave me a new perspective on what is to be Jewish and a human being.

In December I responded to a message from a young man who had matched with me on a online dating site I'd completely forgotten about. We started talking more and more, and in September I went to visit him in his home state. He proposed and I accepted! I've spent so many years thinking that I'd be single my entire life that I'm so happy to have found my best friend.

LV: changed, opened, more relaxed, significantly freed from "being liked." NGL/PAP: increased capacity overall, increased confidence, ease, integration of me and content when teaching. living alone: not as gripped by aloneness. integrating systemic lens, liberatropic paths, compensatory practices re: healing rather than trauma "release" mechansims.

The death of friend. I wasn't in touch as much as I wish I'd been. It's made me very aware of other relationship which I'm likely to lose in the next few years (age-related).

The beginning of my year was very challenging; I was fortunate enough to spend it with my family in California and I’m grateful that despite what hardship brought me there — I was able to spend so much time with my Nana & Popo, Ama & Papa, my cousins and Benny. I’m relieved to be growing still from that experience and to have the love and care of so many that I also hold dear to me. I reflect on this often and I’m proud of myself for not succumbing to my weakness but instead becoming stronger for knowing when to reach out for help.

I got divorced! The impacts have been bigger than I could have imagined. I have never been so happy, so angry, so grateful, so free, so anxious, so jealous, so lonely, so angry with myself. It has been a rollercoaster of a year. I’ve grown enormously too. I am more secure in who I am and my worth is higher. I have more insights about life than ever before. I also turned 50. I’m also probably in menopause but won’t know for sure until January. My grandma also passed away and that made a lot of family dynamics more clear to me. I set some boundaries there that were long overdue. I’ve deepened friendships. I’ve cried a lot although less now than even a few months ago. I’m inspired to do spontaneous things like go to a Mariners game, camp overnight, or buy tickets to a show and even go alone. I’m about to take a two week solo road trip camping in southern Utah.

I didn't have any acute disasters, but the landlord is trying to evict me from my mother's apartment. I know I legally qualify to succeed the lease, but I don't like my lawyer, and I'm afraid he is so ineffective I will lose. This has been going on since October 2021. I have anxiety. I wish it was over and done.

With the exception of food prep, I consider/deem last year's response as "current". There is never enough time to stay current with people I care about, admire, love. My desk is not in show condition, but I remain hopeful. I distract more easily, I am less efficient…not forgetful, something catches my eye and I stay with it…reading an article, cleaning silver, rearranging just about anything. (Iv'e become more of a meal arranger than a prepare-from scratch. But I am determined to be okay with that. Cooking from scratch takes time, so much time, that it, sometimes, causes anxiety!

The wedding plannign has been somewhat all-consuming. I'll be relieved to have my time back, but I'll be sad that it's over. However, I'm just so looking forward to being married. It feels so much of a step forward in life.

I had a baby. After two years of infertility, I finally got pregnant and had a healthy and uneventful pregnancy, and easy and fast labor and delivery, and now have a healthy nine-month-old. It’s difficult to succinctly explain how becoming a mother has affected me. I haven’t been well-rested in nine months. I spend most of my time thinking about my son. I’m profoundly glad to finally be a mother. I wish I had free time. I’ve already had to sacrifice a lot because of my son, but I can’t regret him in the slightest. My life is better and far more difficult with him in it.

2 things. Being treated badly by my boss made me remember I have value and not to sell myself short by an undeserving miserable man. Being treated wondrously by my family in the face of my struggles makes me remember my worth and to be surrounded by those who love me

A significant experience has been the continued distancing of a highly important friendship. I see that texts just to me are now instead sent within a group and personal invitations are also now within a group text. The last time I spent individual time with this person was sometime last summer. We used to regularly hang out together. For so long she was my favorite person but the other day I turned to look at her at dinner and my heart just sank. I'm out of love.

I took a wonderful trip in August to NYC to see Duran Duran at MSG. There were many moments during the trip that can best be described as 'coming full circle'. Among them was learning about the demise of UPC, also 'the anniversary' with Jodi. The amazing concert, spending time with Dave, the Met, the street walks and subway trips. The spectacular rooftop bar and perfect hotel, Sixty LES. Writing Desiree outside the Starbucks at Spring and Crosby. All the old familiar places (Katz's!!). So inspiring and good for the soul.

Hiking with friends, picking up trash as we go, sharing thoughts, ideas, and silly stories gets my days off in a good way.

This last spring, I decided to become a college student again. I enrolled this time as a Theatre Major! Wow! From science geek-biology major to theatre major! I am still stunned and very appreciative that I am able to use both sides of my brain. Although I have been acting for the past 12 years, I had no formal training. Now, I could go back to school and learn what I was supposed to be doing as an actor. I had a fairly light schedule and one class was online only, one was a hybrid class and the other was in person. It was a good way to transition out of staying at home during the pandemic and back into society. It felt safe as all the staff and students had to be vaccinated and we all had to wear masks. I took a voice-over class in the summer which was fantastic and gave me a direction to go with my acting. This fall, I am taking a full load of classes and it might have been a little too much. I love most of my classes so I am not really ready to give any of them up but it might have been overzealous of me to attempt a full time schedule at my age. Time will tell. I am grateful for the chance to take classes and inspired by learning!

A ICU nurse told me it was time to say goodbye to my dear dad. I was flooded with gratitude and sadness. My dad is now in hospice months later.

I went into the mikveh to affirm my Jewishness. I felt a sense of closure and belonging that has eluded me since childhood as a patrilineal Jew. I traveled solo again on an adventure in Britain and Ireland, driving on the opposite side of the road, making friends with interesting people, exploring fascinating history, and visiting a dramatic ancestral landscape at the Sliabh Liag sea cliffs – it was exhausting but thrilling. I also made the commitment to save the money to have a child by the time I'm 40, which has left me simultaneously centered and stressed.

I've started stretching out a little. Trying to get my creative thing back. And it's been working! I've made some ttrpgs, I'm wroting a new book, Cuddles, me, and Tracy are creating the podcast I've wanted to make for a while. Getting this bit of me back needs some careful balancing, but it's amazing and I've missed it.

A significant event... I think so many things have happened. I was happy to have been successful in school. I am so happy that I have found a position working in a neuroscience lab. I am so happy that I went to India and had a deep and profound experience. I am happy that I met Rohit and jump started my sexual identity again, and also discovered some things about myself and grew through our interactions. I have been working through the social anxiety I landed upon during COVID and I am now looking for a therapist to help me come out on the other side of this.

Seems the past year was one of significant experiences: my “healthy” brother’s triple bypass; the unexpected death of my sister’s husband at 73; Mom’s mysterious fall, her move to assisted living and her sudden death two months later; the near toxic angst among my family as we began to wind down Mom’s life in settling her estate; the continuing problem with my leg and throwing my arms up in defeat; recognizing I wake every morning in a state of dread. I feel some of all the emotions listed in the question, except inspired. I began to wonder if I was trying to die. Coda: Looking back over my answer, I think the end of Mom’s life was the significant experience of the last year. It was chaotic, increased the already strained relationships in the family, deprived me of a gentle goodbye and left me to settle her estate lock, stock and barrel. It’s all been stressful which is part of why my leg won’t heal. And it leads me once again to consider my own mortality. It’s not dying I think of now, it’s stuff, things I’ve treasured, things with sentimental value and loads of detritus that won’t anything to anyone else.

Well, I'm grateful that (so far) I haven't had Covid... But... when I was on vacation in July, hiking & camping through much of Ontario (the Great Lakes Region for a lot of it), we were on a hike one day, and we became separated. My partner had run back to find something he'd dropped, and I continued forward. I took a wrong turn, and a 12 km hike turned into a 28 km hike, on a day when it was 30C. Near the end of the hike (when we found each other again), the only thought in my head was that I could NOT stop, I could NOT rest, because if I did, that would be very, very bad. I didn't know WHY (there were bears in the park, but I wasn't even thinking about them), just that it would be BAD. It wasn't until after the fact, when we were safely back at our campsite - in fact, when we were getting up the next morning - that I realised I must've had heatstroke. I was quite sick that night and didn't really know why. I do a lot of hiking, most of which is by myself, and so I pay careful attention to where I'm going, note landmarks, etc. On my own, I've never gotten lost (yet!). But with my partner, who has a much better sense of direction and grasp of geography than I do, I don't pay nearly as much attention to those things - if I had been paying attention as if I were on my own, I don't think I would've gotten lost, and I wouldn't have put myself at such risk. Grateful? Well, yeah, that I didn't get eaten by a bear! Relieved? Yup, and see previous flippant remark. Resentful? Not even for a second. Inspired? Well - not in the standard way of inspiration. I'm not going to go out to do myriad good works because of this. But I am resolved to pay better attention, whether I'm hiking on my own or with my partner.

I attended my 50 year college reunion. It was a wonderful experience and brought back thoughts of "salad days", when everything was ahead of us and life was filled with hope and promise. In reflection, my life has been really blessed and amazing and I have accomplished nearly all of the goals I set for myself. There have been some bumps in the road but I have no regrets.

Rikki's worsening symptoms, medical appointments and finally, diagnosis. This journey has actually taken at least four years already. Receiving a diagnosis is a relief and at the same time, a sentence. It's better than the mystery and wondering why it's all happening, but now we have to rethink her future-going to college or where to go to college-somewhere close to home? A service dog? Most likely not having children. It affects everything and I worry about her being able to take care of herself as an adult and her having to rethink her dreams and plans.

My sister and I are in the best place in our adult lives. I think it had to do with her giving birth and me being able to show up in a meaningful way during her postpartum care and her being vulnerable enough to receive it. We don’t often play those roles with each other. Her also having a child has really helped our relationship as sisters. I realize I will always feel inadequate in some way and she probably feels the same but for different reasons. However, now we each have our own families, our priorities are shifting, and our relationship is transforming. It’s the most easeful it’s been in a decade. This is a huge relief.

My jewish-Israeli wedding, I am grateful to E for this day and that we prove that we can do a mariage under less 30 people organized in less then two weeks , low impact carbon but still will good wine.

This year I studied, took, failed, studied, took, and finally passed my PE exam. This is THE significant certification an engineer gets in their career. I am relieved that I eventually passed and got my certification, and grateful I will not have to do again and hopefully hold on to the rest of my career. But I am also somewhat underwhelmed. It was pretty much the only thing in my 5 year plan. It took a lot of energy, money, and heartbreak. Instead of bringing me closer to my friends it pushed me further into isolation. And in the end I don’t feel any more qualified or prepared to take on more responsibility despite that being exactly what happens once you get certified. I received a raise solely based on passing my exam, but that was pretty much meaningless given the rate of inflation and rent increase in the past year. And as big of an achievement as it was, it passed with minimum fanfare and afterwards have felt more jealous and less successful with every declaration that another person has passed their exam, the first time no less. For someone who has always been a good test taker, a hard worker, with a strong work ethic, I think this failure really shook my image of myself. It made me resent prioritizing a doomed relationship over my commitment to study, it made me feel stupid, it made me feel tired, and overall I think I would have preferred to take another year instead of pushing through to take it before it turned paperless. Now the book I poured my life and many many sticky note tabs into is used as a footrest at my WFH desk. I hope that with the test behind me I can become re-inspired by my work or at least get some respite and enjoy my free time more. But I hope that my next goal or achievement feels more meaningful than this one.

Hard to choose one as there are 3 significant ones: mom’s health, my marriage, and putting a move to Winfield IL in motion. All 3 have me taking the reins of how I want my next decades of life to fo. I am grateful and challenged

I have ran 2 50kms! And I plan to do more. In the next year I'll finish a 50 miler and 100km. This will see if I want to do a 100 miler. I also bought a house with my life partner. Our dog, Malcolm, passed away November 2021 the week prior to my first 50km. Grief running was unlocked. The last year has put a way for us to have our own safety net with out needing to call on family or friends for much help. I am very happy with where we are and exploring our future.

My daughter and her family moved out of our home on December 23, 2021, after 13 months while they built a new home. Many lessons learned about boundaries, parenting/grandparenting, what is important to us, important to John and me. I loved the time with our daughter and our grandchildren, learned much about their family/relationships, and was saddened about some of what we observed. I wanted us to come through this stressful time, loving each other, and we have

I became a naturalist on a schooner sailboat...a dream come true.

This year we are still grateful for the immunizations especially for the babies. We are thankful for the boosters for ourselves and our families. We are so grateful that our parents are doing well and that we are finally able to travel and see them again.

Martin and I went on a vacation by ourselves for 10 days to a place with very few opportunities for recreation. I was afraid we'd both get bored, especially with each other. Not so! I was very pleased to discover how compatible we still are, doing little or nothing and being very content in each other's company. I know now that we have been, and will always be, good partners for life--a funny realization after 40+ years of marriage. The calm after the storm is a very sweet place to be. I'm grateful.

A wind-driven wildfire ripped through several nearby communities just before New Year 2022, destroying over 1,000 homes and displacing thousands of people. Thankfully, we were not among those immediately affected, although we came perilously close; the fire was within 3 miles of our house at one point, and we were beginning to consider what to do if we had to evacuate. Where would we go? What might we come home to — or not? Of course, we are tremendously grateful that we were spared the agony of losing everything (as so many people did) and having to rebuild our lives from the ground up, as hundreds of families will be doing for years to come. It's at once heartbreaking and terrifying, and puts into perspective the questions we grapple with every Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: How random is life? What if such tragedy and loss happened to me? Do we deserve the things that life throws at us, and do we have any control over any of it? "Who by fire, and who by water."... sometimes, those eternal questions are much too close for comfort and all too real.

It took a lot of time for this decision to stick but I finally ended a very unhealthy relationship. Ending that relationship helped me understand how I operate as a partner and how I need to be more mindful of protecting/prioritizing myself and my needs in relationships. It has helped me better understand some of my codependent habits too, which will likely take a while for me to unlearn. I am really grateful for what I’ve learned through this relationship. But am resentful of how long it took. I am also learning that I lack courage in many elements of my life. I need to advocate for myself better. In certain ways I was not “allowed to” during this relationship, but I want to be better at embracing discomfort and being bolder with making healthy and hard choices.

I retired after 41 years of continuous full time work. It left me somewhat unhinged. I have mixed feelings.

The most significant experience this past year is a no-brainer: the birth of Gabby. It was overwhelming and daunting at first, and led to a whole lot of consequences I never anticipated (like all the conflicts with Mom and Grandma). Overall, though, it's been amazing being a mom, and luckily not nearly as bad as all those mommy blogs say.

Tellement de choses significatives me sont arrivées depuis 1 an...La sortie de mes bébés de l'hôpital après 100 jours depuis leur naissance, une année (même plus!) entière à la maison avec mon chum pour nous en occuper soit à l'hôpital, soit ici. Les voir grandir sans séquelles de leur grande prématurité. Ça me rend évidemment très reconnaissante envers la vie, le système de santé québécois, mon employeur, le régime parental au Qc qui nous permet d'être à la maison avec nos enfants. La venue

I honestly can't think of a significant experience and after the last year or two I'm kinda grateful about that. I would like a few years of peace and quite at this point in time.

I've had fever for 13 weeks. I'm beaten down and have no energy. I tried so hard to lose weight, but now I can't work out and feel like a gelatinous toneless lump. I'm ready to feel like myself again. It makes me realize I take my general good heath for granted. I need to be grateful for what I have.

The most significant experience is same as last year ... I honestly cannot realize, after one year I'm still exactly where I was one year ago. Am I though ? Still trying to get pregnant. It's not even a roller coaster of emotions it just SUCKS. I'm endlessly sad. Endlessly. Honestly a piece of me has left my body this year. I'm not as happy and joyful as I used to be. I feel bad, sick , angry, sad, mad, it feels like an injustice. It's really really hard and easily the worst thing i've been through until now.

Last year, I met a great person who inspired me to be better in my profession; a person who believes in my knowledge and experience and motivated me to stand up for myself and my values. 3 years ago, I only read her name and get to know about her from a piece of paper, and from that day on - I was so interested to know her. Little did I know, that in the year 2021, I get to work with her! Can you imagine?

I moved jobs - TWICE! Got a salary bump both times, which I feel varying dregrees of materialistic-ness when I talk about it to people. I think I might start leaving out that detail because not everyone knows the context of me having been underpaid for so many years that this was a big jump for me. I’m worried I come off as just caring about money and being materialistic but really it was a shift of me learning and enforcing my own worth.

There are two that I could think of. 1. Realizing that health is not worth risking for my job. This year I have battled with anxiety like never before. My body basically gave up on me when I was working in Laguna, and I really had to resign even if I wasn't financially ready, because my mental health really affected my physical health. I lost 5 kilos this year in 5-6 months, I've gone to the hospital twice, and I've been crying daily for months. To top that, I also went through a really painful breakup. I thought resigning from my job was the worst thing ever, but I was relieved I did it. It was the brave thing to do. It was the right thing to do. 2. Meeting someone with an impact so huge, I turned my life around. At the peak of my post-work walwal era, I logged on to Bumble and found this cute half-Indian guy, who also happens to be from UP. When I saw his profile, I just KNEW, I just knew I liked him already. We talked, we clicked, but while I was preparing dinner he admitted he was leaving for Australia. His flight was on the same day we started talking. I got so disappointed, I was flustered, even. I knew it wasn't going anywhere, we said our "goodbyes", but I risked sending screenshots of my tweets to him because I knew I had nothing to lose. It's the 30th of September today, and we've been talking daily since. With him, I realized there's so much more the world has to offer, and I have so many opportunities out there waiting for me. This is just the beginning. Hopefully, a year from now we're still talking. I'm grateful. My heart is bursting with gratitude. This person really gave me hope, and his existence is a constant reminder that I have to get up and face another day, because I have something to look forward to in the future.

After years of taking pictures but not sharing them, I submitted several of my photos to a contest for a local nature preserve calendar. And one of my photos was chosen to be a small insert (the tiny photos that they put in unused spots on the calendar grid)! \^_^/ Its a small victory, but I feel very grateful and validated. I took a photograph of something that I thought was beautiful, and the people in charge of that place thought it was beautiful as well. I want to spend more time in the nature preserve and enjoy it more.

I started a new job in August. I walked out in faith to trust the process of what God was doing in leaving the J to go to SCCS. It has also been really meaningful to share the Gospel with Dinah and Britney. It really spurs my faith to share what I believe in and where I get my hope.

I moved house. It took so much energy to move. I am recovering now. I am relieved to be in a new more peaceful environment, with more space, and my own garden. This space is levelling up - this is the flat of a grown up. I am also very grateful to all the people that helped me - at least 10 different people, not including ones I paid to help. It showed me that people do care about me, and how I am lucky enough to have generous people in my life - beyond Alex, who wasn't able to help me at all.

I biked my first Metric Century in three years. I am grateful that I am still able to do one. Of all the metrics I've done, the season was the most perfect for this one, with spring flowers at an unbelievable peak.

Put my back out - in excruciating pain and could not get off the bed for almost a day. I felt scared. Relieved that it got better after a day or so and gradually I am back to "normal" where I was before but made me realise I need to lose weight and exercise to avoid being disable in my old age.

This past year I quit my job and lost my father in just a few months. It has left me feeling untethered, unsafe, and stuck about what is next.

In May, I celebrated my one year anniversary of being completely done with all treatment. I still had a few appointments with the plastic surgeon, but all medical things related to the cancer were done. It didn't feel as wonderful as the actual day that I was finished, but it still felt like a time to celebrate. I was one year down of my 5ish year plan to become considered completely cancer-free. My hair was still short and curly (I finally was able to put it in a ponytail in Julyish, which was another huge milestone), but I was beginning to look more and more like myself. Unfortunately this changed in June, when I went for my check-up with the oncologist. That is probably for a different question. For this first one, I just wanted to focus on my one year anniversary and how far I've come. It was starting to become more and more like a bad dream and I was able to both really think about and understand all I had been through but also was able to begin to let go. It was a wonderful feeling. Things seemed to be getting back to normal.

This year my mental health took a nose dive, so I took some time off work to try and get out of the funk. The day I came back to work I got fired. I was so angry and I felt so disrespected. I spent two and a half months out of work, applying to everything I could with no luck. It was a really difficult time for us. We had to ask my parents for a lot of help and it put a lot of stress on my wife being the sole breadwinner. But a lot of good things came out of it too. I was able to take my peer support specialist class to open up new career opportunities and I was able to focus on my schoolwork and get As for both my summer classes. It also let me start in a new job in the behavioral health field, and now I'm on a team that respects me and values my presence. I'm learning so much and I feel so much more fulfilled than I was in the factory.

The most significant thing that happened in the past year was Finneas’ birth. I became a mother! Everything has changed. I am exhausted all the time. My body hurts. I haven’t been able to find time to write or exercise or do anything for myself. I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore. But also the love is enormous. So I feel resentful and overwhelmed but also inspired and full of love. Everything all at once!

I got married to the love of my life. I could not feel more grateful/blessed to have been reunited with my soulmate! We are still very much figuring out how to live together and our marriage dynamic/identities given that it's only been 3.5 weeks since the wedding, but I feel so blessed.

I spent six months unemployed after quitting my brand new (well, year-old) job because they were giving up on COVID precautions. It was--necessary. The job itself was burning me out; I could handle it *with* COVID measures, but the stress of managing that risk on top of everything else? No way. I slept a lot, I rested a lot, I did a little freelancing and made a little money on the side! I learned that I probably shouldn't work for myself because I had a really tough time maintaining enough structure to get going, but I think if I waited until I had a business that was working I might do okay. I'm massively grateful I had the opportunity to do this at all, and I know how lucky I am.

This year, I took a leap of faith and purchased a home with my boyfriend of six months. I feel incredibly grateful, bemused, and hopeful for this next chapter of my life.

All my kids started in school this year, with my youngest finally leaving the nest. I thought it would be easier, but its harder then I thought. I'm having a hard time finding my place.

I realized that the two people I considered closest friends and Allie’s did not value me. I now question all of my judgments. I am 63 years old and I need to start my life all over again from scratch. My plan is to sell enough of my property to buy a car and move.

I suffered for a few months with significant back pain when getting up from bed or from a chair. Normal fitness activities had to be slowed down and readjusted to meet the challenges of a new physical circumstance. After recovering almost 100% after a few months, I am grateful now that I can get out of bed without pain, and I can resume full physical activities without pain.

The continuing lockdown from Covid and the general disorder in the world have left me uninspired and feeling impotent - unable to understand how to help change the world. The philanthropy and volunteering that I'm involved with bring meaning to my soul, but feel like a drop of water in a vast ocean of chaos.

Wow wow wow Ok here we go. Reading my answers from last year, I'm less out of the weeds than I wanted to be right now, but change always happens slower than you wanted to, a friend and the i-ching once said. What happened since last Rosh Hashanah? In the tail of 2021, Ayahuasca, accepting that I was depressed and going for CBT, Minahil moving to the Bay and coming to LA with me for the holidays. In 2022, I made a pact with myself that I would do 1 travel each month (why not!) and I've basically done it! Costa Rica, Mexico City, Zion, DC, the PNW, Burning Man, DC again. These experiences have been amazing and called me back to parts of myself, but they've also distracted me from my continuing feeling of uncertainty in the Bay - they allowed me to put my energy in to those plans instead of into broader life plans. But when I life plan, I don't have a balanced sense of what I can and can't control - I don't know how to make plans with ease. But anyhow, to describe one of these experiences. Actually, to describe none of them. The experience I want to describe is the experience of living with Minahil for 3 months this summer. Because in many ways it was more significant than any of my travels. I got to experience the ease, peace, and pleasure of living with a beloved. I got to experience communicating well and taking care of each other, how we encourage each other to host and go on adventures, how we each think about the world and work and connection. In that time I also got to experience big stretches of alone time, when I got to learn how to come back to enjoying my own company, to being alone with myself in a way that felt pleasurable rather than restless. I also got to affirm that I really enjoy the experience of living with someone who is gone a lot - I like being able to give them my attention when they are around and spread out into my self and my other people, pleasures, and pursuits when they are gone. It's a shape that I'd like to take with me into other intimacies, living arrangements, maybe even an eventual partnership. So, I'm really grateful for that experience, the pleasure I got from it and what it taught me and affirmed for me about myself.

I lead a very busy life. Though retired, I have infused my life with varied activities that keep me moving.

Moving in with my partner of 3 years. At first this was harder than expected as we learned each other's habits and needs. However, 3 months on it is feeling right. Now if anything I'm worried that we're becoming too dependent on eachother

Grateful for induction into the Order of Saint Luke.

The significant experience that immediately comes to my mind is that I started my own business! In January of this year I started seeing suggestions on my FaceBook feed to join groups of sugar cookie decorating, so I joined, and then I got obsessed with the desire to decorate sugar cookies and learn new techniques... one thing led to another and by March I created The Sweet Sugar Baker! I have clients, I have a bank account, I have a website... I am making very little money at this point, but I'm so excited by the possibilities for making a lot more. I'm extremely grateful and inspired by this change in my life.

Got my GCSE maths results - felt relieved and more confident in myself and my abilities

Last (half) year really showed me the importance of health. A close friend of my partner died at the age of 35 of a brain tumor, with nothing that could be done. A friend of my parents dropped dead at work at the age of around 60. Those events happening very close to eachother left a serious impression on me to rethink my priorities in life to prioritize my health and enjoying the time with my family and loved ones higher. I am having health issues myself with a feeling of vertigo (Schwindel) for 3 months by now - which started the day after I learned about the friends’ untreatable brain tumor. I was very scared for my own health, my own life and the people around me and am now trying to live with those events. I started a healthier lifestyle and want to live my life more mindful of my priorities.

I retired! After 36 years of full service family practice, including delivering babies my whole career, I decided to leave my practice. The 6 month separation process was everything I could have wished for. I learned that my patients got what I was trying to do for them-- be patient, not order a million tests, and coach them to improve their health, and recognize when something wasn't right. The retirement cards, and things they said in the office were very affirming.

The birth of our first grandchild! It's a boy! Even though many friends told me that being a grandmother was the best thing ever, I could not imagine what it would be like. How do I feel now that he's 2 months old? He's become a real person. He's adorable. It's amazing that there's a new person, a real person with a personality, in our family.

Vaccines happened! This was the year when I felt it was ok to go out and be part of the world again. I was grateful to have gotten through the whole year without serious illness or accidents. I know this might seem like a low bar, but this was the year of return to theater, to in-person services, to movies, to restaurants. If last year was all about losses, this year was about receiving, with gratitude, the gifts of people and places.

Over the past year I have become involved with JFS of Metro West. I have been giving rides to Afghan refugees to various appointments. Their English skills vary. At times it has been difficult to communicate and at other times incredibly easy. I hope that I never have to leave my homeland and family in order to survive. I am so grateful and fortunate to have lived in this country. I hope that in the coming years I still feel this way.

This past year I was diagnosed with breast and thyroid cancer. I've had 3 surgeries, radiation and medication. My life changed overnight. Cancer has put me on notice - life is short, I need to take better care of myself, I need to pay attention - pay attention! I'm grateful that the cancer was early and that I had wonderful medical care and support from my spouse and loved ones. Couldn't have gone through this without them. Every day I thank God for my life, my gifts and talents and ask that I may use the rest of my time here to benefit others.

Well...we got rid of covid, kind of, but there is always evil and stupidity in the world, isn't there? And this war that Russia is waging against Ukraine...this travesty, this utter evil, this crime against all of humanity...I have no words. I will be honest and say I'd never liked Russia before, I couldn't stomach their literature, their music, just about anything Russia related, but now I downright hate them.

I got my chaplaincy certification - it was months and months of work leading up to it; both physically and emotionally. It was a beautiful experience - very affirming and emotional. I was grateful to all t he people who brought me to that point, grateful for all the amazing and incredible training I received and I was definitely relieved that I got certified!

I got to witness my wife enjoying herself sexually with her secondary partner. At first I felt some sort of way, but after much open dialogue I have learned to set better boundaries so they can be together in my presence without any insecurity cropping up.

I was married and moved house within the space of a month. We moved across the country and I left my just adult child living in my old house. I moved my business and my husband moved jobs. Whilst these events were incredibly exciting and positive, it has been so challenging for us on every level. I have been left with a newfound respect for my mother, who was an army wife and recreated a life for us every two years. I was unaware at the time of the challenges she much have faced and overcome in order to help us settle so quickly wherever we were.

The interview. THE interview. Wednesday, March 2nd. 11 am. I got a notification on my phone "Interview with IKEA at 14". "Fuck! I forgot to cancel the interview" So rather than cancelling it last minute, I decided to clear my mind and forced myself to prepare for the interview. I had most things ready. My portfolio, a couple of cases and some examples. A whole folder with old reports and handouts I've done at my previous jobs. Then the interview started. A woman on my screen, looking calm. With a quiet voice and a slow pace when talking. I figured out her country of origin by her name and last name: Finland. I tried to say her name with my best impression of the Finish accent and I seemed to have succeeded. Then she asked me a question I was not expecting: "Lucas, how are you today" That day was not the day to ask that question. It was not a good day. I was not in a good place. The world, my world, had gone upside down a few days before. I woke up the previous Thursday to two messages:
“I am fine. Mama is Fine” and “This bastard started a war at 4am” from two of the closes humans I have in my life. One in Ukraine and one in Russia.
I was going to Poland that day. And when I got there, the tension was felt everywhere. 
And six days later I was confronted with that question: How was I that day?

I could only reply with a joke to calm my nerves:
“Do you want to hear the Scandinavian version or the rest of the world version of that answer” She smiled and counter my funny remark: “I really want to know how are you doing today”! A couple of seconds of silence. And then putting my heart out, thinking “this is just another interview that I am not going to get the job (my self-esteem was not at its best) so who cares, here I will just go out with all of it” and then saying: I have some relatives from Ukraine, and they are today at the border. They got there at 9am and I haven’t heard from them since then. I forgot about the interview and 3 hours ago I got the notification on my phone reminding me about it and it was too late to cancel. So I just spend the last 3 hours preparing for it, and here I am, so let’s do it! Oh, and I think I got COVID”

Somehow this amazing human on the other side of the screen smiled and say, “Ok, let’s do it”

about 45 minutes later I got a message on my phone. I excused myself to check the message that read:
“We are in the EU” I looked up and said “They are in the EU, they are safe”. At that moment my heart calmed down. My body relaxed and somehow my brain got back to the situation. 
I was interviewing for the job that I really wanted. For the position that I really wanted. And this woman, that could be my boss was definitely someone I wanted to work for, to work with!

She suddenly said “I think you are the guy for the job. I want you in my team. Now it is up to you to pass the next two interviews”

I could not believe it. 7 months later, I am so thankful for that moment. For being honest. For being vulnerable.
If last year was the year of Teshuva (every year is, but last year was particularly big on that), this has been the year of growth, of building, of becoming!

My husband kept getting recurring blood infections until he was hospitalized in Feb 2022. He's an 87-year-old type I juvenile diabetic who's been insulin-dependent for 7 decades. So, it was extremely serious & utterly terrifying. Blessedly, he recovered & now he has an ongoing treatment to mitigate against recurrence. I am profoundly relieved!

I left the Navy this year. It was a departure long-seen coming, but it was significant nonetheless. It marked leaving what was previously a core part of my identity -- now, the Navy is something I did, not something I do. And I am trying to keep it as something in my past, something that helped forge who I am today, but not an all-consuming feature of my identity. And so I need to strike this balance so that I am not living in the past -- a complicated and difficult past, one that certainly would not make for a good home without heavy revision. This is further complicated by the fact that submarines will suck all the air out of a room; people find it hard to leave the subject alone. The Navy provided me a great environment in which to climb and learn new skills, and upon leaving that, I had to sort-of switch horses to the civilian sector. Things were not as easy there, and it was a false start. Then began the hard, arduous work of building a name for myself outside of the Navy. This has been extremely difficult. It is difficult not only because of the time required, but because I have come face-to-face with my own worst tendencies, and surpassing those habits has made disappointment a familiar friend. There is too much to say here. 30 has been a difficult year.

I (purposely, thoughtfully, calmly, finally) cut off all contact with my sister after (another) vicious message from her. Her anger towards me is shocking. It is frightening. It is saddening. I am not taking it anymore. And I feel such relief. Long time coming. I had to let go of expecting/wishing/hoping that my born-into family would be the family that loves me like I deserve to be loved. They don't get me. They don't appreciate me. I'm proud of myself for extricating myself.

We had to find a place to live twice within 6 mos. I thought we'd be homeless the end of 2021 but we found a 6 mos rental. Then in March we started looking to buy a house and we were outbid on 3 houses. So frustrating and upsetting. Luckily we were able to buy a house in Springfield VT with my inheritance money.

I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She died before she could take her first breath. Part of me died with her.

I moved in with my sister and bro in law. I’m feeling both grateful and kill me now. I’m grateful to live with people who love me. It’s a small house in a hotter part of the county… but they have a nice dog.

Interestingly my answer is work-related again this year, I have just been through a restructure at work. I still believe that the company genuinely demonstrates their values across all levels of the business, including the need to make people redundant. Communication was clear, decisions were open for consultation/feedback and the process was not allowed to drag out. I still feel shaken by the process, but it's less about what the company did, and more about how unprepared I was. I don't have a financial safety net, I wasn't clear on my strengths and weaknesses, and I feel like the process pulled the rug out from under me. I hope that I will process these emotions into motivation to make positive changes for my career and financial future.

I made tenure. This was something I'd been working toward for the better part of a decade. And almost every Rosh Hashanah when I'd be working on these answers, I'd also be putting together my materials for annual evaluations not knowing what my future would bring. Then COVID came and delayed things by a year. Then I faced some knocks along the tenure evaluation process and am still somewhat scarred by it. But now, I am still grappling with the possibilities for the future of my career and for its stability for my family. Now, I get to think about the projects I want to put energy and time into, along with the ability to take risks that I wasn't able to take while having this singular goal gnawing on my mind.

Desde hace 2 años he pasado por una relación de abuso con un maltratador de la que he sobrevivido y me he recuperado. Quedan secuelas que iré gestionando, pero estoy muy orgullosa de como he llevado el proceso de sanación. Después de eso y cuando estaba empezando a recuperar mi vida, me caí con el skate y me destroce la pierna derecha. Esto trajo una serie de catastrófica desdichas y una catarsis a nivel familiar e interno mío, que me llevaron a los infiernos y del que estoy saliendo aún. Demasiado después de una pandemia!! El agradecimiento me ha costado, pero ahora si que lo siento. Me ha hecho una mujer mas fuerte, una mujer que abraza su lado femenino y que entiende y sufre el machismo y los estragos que ha hecho tanto a hombres como a mujeres a lo largo de la historia. Me ha reforzado la empatía, la resiliencia... con la pierna agradezco haber pasado mas tiempo con la familia para bien y para mal, mis sobrinos sobretodo y reconocer la falta de amor y cariño. Lo tengo qie practicar más. La aceptación y la paciencia me van costando más. Resentida también, por no olvidar comportamiento de mi familia desde la niñez, eso me gustaría poder pasar página definitivamente. Inspirada en la manera en la que he reconectado con mi feminidad y con la consciencia universal de las mujeres, necesito practicar mas el amor hacia las personas y hacia mi familia y olvidarme del pasado

My sister went through open heart surgery, and it affected me in that I realized how frail we are! She is the strongest person I know, and for this to happen to her! My best friend! It made me re-evaluate my life.

One of the most significant experiences that happened was that both my husband and I went through cancer treatment at the same time. His was for his prostate cancer which we already knew about and he'd had for 5 years but my breast cancer was diagnosed early in 2022. I've completed chemo, surgery and radiation now. I am grateful and relieved to have done well with the treatment and the excellent care I got. Still a little number emotionally over the diagnosis.

Well it's not 100% done, but... we bought a house! This is so frickin scary!!! What is it going to be like to be rural queer Jews? What will it be like finding community? I am scared, but I feel so much better knowing I'm taking this big step with S.

Our son got married to a great woman. We are happy as can be with it.

I discovered Reconstructionist Judaism. I feel as if I've slid my foot into the glass slipper.

I took part in an artist's residency programme for a year, during which I lived in a tiny house on a schoolyard in a remote village. I was supposed to bring my artistic personality to the school and village environment, work on projects with the students and collaborate with teachers to come up with unusual concepts for lessons where we'd rethink how to learn and to teach a subject. While the children and teenagers were amazing, I struggled greatly with the adults working at the school. The whole village community - the grown-ups - were very hostile towards the project and hence me. It was exhausting to feel as though I had to work against this wall of hostility. I did not feel welcome and I felt as though some teachers and the headmaster were actively sabotaging my work there (which was in my opinion special and a privilege - to be able to have a skilled extra person at school with a budget and enthusiasm and willingness to bring her ideas to the place). The children and teenagers were extremely appreciative and I managed to create a lot of special projects and experiences with them. So it does not feel as though my time and effort there was wasted. However, I was endlessly grateful and relieved to be able to return to my own flat, my friends, my city, my boyfriend and my family and to have more time and energy for the people I love and things I love and myself again. I am so glad the residency is over. I want to try and remember that it's always okay to quit when an experience is not what I expected it to be, when I feel as though it is harming me and making me ill. There's no shame in quitting, when the thing you're doing is costing you your happiness and health.

Grandma died. Now, I am the oldest woman in my immediate family at age 33. I feel like I am standing with a whole sky above me, completely unprotected from the elements. I made Rosh Hashannah dinner, I am in charge of holidays.. and if a tradition doesn't happen.. it's because of me. Feels heavy, and weighty, and I miss my grandma. And we can't figure out her brisket recipe.

It's great to see last year's answer below because I left the doctoral program that was eating up my focus and time last year. I'm trying to think if it's the first time I ever terminated an academic endeavor early. It was empowering to take back ownership of my self-worth. For so long, I have tied my value to my academic, intellectual, and artistic achievements. It's sort of embarrassing to look back now. I am seeing a shift in myself from being proud of what I do to being proud of who I am. I see that reflected in the pride I have for my children and wife. I am proud of who they are, how they treat others, not what they do.

Probably the most significant experience of the year has been the job I started in early January, co-showrunning a drama for a basic cable/streaming company. I came onto to the project expecting to be a consigliere, and after several frustrating months, the woman who had written the pilot reached the end of her rope and decided to quit the show. We were three weeks away from production at the time and the studio and network and non-writing executive producers all thought we should re-conceptualize the show, which is a tall order under the best of circumstances - and these were not the best of circumstances. I began a sprint that lasted until this very week (I'm writing on Sept 28) as the show will be delivered, in its entirety, to the network this Friday. The hardest part was all the interpersonal politics and managing of personalities. Breaking story in a Zoom format has a lot of advantages but also a lot of challenges. I was bombarded with notes, requests, demands, and questions - so many questions! - at all hours of the day and night. I got so tired. I knew I could handle it and that every problem had a solution, but towards the end of filming, I really felt myself coming apart in a way that was new and unpleasantly unfamiliar. I felt physically and spiritually run down and like I wasn't sure I knew how to restore myself. On top of coming out of the pandemic in a slightly weaker, softer spot overall, it was hard to find the EDGE one needs to do a job like this. In the last few weeks, the work load has slowed down considerably and I've had some time to re-wire myself. I'm grateful to have a job, I am relieved to be able to support my family, I'm resentful of all the people who created unnecessary roadblocks and obstacles and who manipulated and mistreated me openly and egregiously. I'm a little awestruck that I managed to get through it and remain in the good graces of my fellow writers. There were many times where I thought I might not get to the end of it - not because I didn't know HOW but because I wasn't sure I could rise to the occasion. But I guess I did, because the show is finished, all ten episodes, and they might suck but also they might not. Bottom line, they're finished.

My third birth changed me, and what I know of my power. Leaving SF was probably the biggest change. I'm grateful, relieved to be where it feels right, and I so miss it. I'm proud of us.

I found a great therapist! Such a relief. At this point I'm purposely being light on understanding and concentrating on the experience of...what? What does she do exactly? Something about radically making space for all of me and all I feel. And also showing up in radical kind presence for me in all that. The experience is profound.

Traveled to Europe alone for 2 weeks. Mixed feelings: pleased with myself for planning/ accomplishing by myself. Lonely not to have companion.

Barry’s l hip surgery. Just brought. Me to my knees agin. Compounded with Eisa and her back leg, and losing my job for the third time. Going to Asheville while all this was happening helped me to understand that you just take one day at a time. And then. I find this really great job, falls into my lap.

This year I had a baby child. life altering, humbling, lovely... I have felt every emotion from utter glowing adoration to total resentment and fear of the coming night. I have had to rearrange my life and how I perceive myself and my actions, as well as those of my partner. It has been eye opening and at times I have questioned my decision to have a kid, but I'm adjusting and feeling a different sort of love than I've known. It's a big shift and yet another aspect of freedom that is gone for me, which had previously been at the epicenter of my being. But eight months in I'm finding my way.

Going on a family vacation to Greece for 13 days was a huge deal for me. For various reasons in my life (personal circumstances, money, etc) I was not able to travel freely when I was younger, so being able to see the world has been eye opening, exciting, enriching and deeply fulfilling in ways I never imagined.

I finally got Covid after 2+ years. Thank God it was more mentally challenging than physically, though I did feel awful for a couple of days. I am grateful to have been triple vaccinated. The isolation, after more than 2 years of isolating and constant school closures, was really difficult. I was so lonely and at the same time had no quiet time with everyone stuck at home. It's definitely taken me longer to recover emotionally.

My husband walked out on couples therapy in early Nov 2021. This really drove home as no other 12-step program or therapy work had, that I need to turn inward, and look to myself and my spiritual path as the source of healing, comforting, soothing, that I had been seeking so desperately from my husband. I don't know whether this marriage will survive, but now I know that I will, arm-in-arm with my Creator and Divine Comforter.

I turned 65. If one is lucky, one will turn 65. It wasn't a surprise, people turn 65 every day. I remember back in third grade, figuring out how old I would be in the year 2000, and thinking, well, I won't be THAT old, and here I am now, 65. But inside I still feel 12, with the weariness of a 65 year old. My children are grown, and on their own, doing well. I am retired. Money is tight, my husband can't retire yet. I'm not sure if he will be able to. We have a few more years to figure that out. Mom died at 69. Dad is still alive at 94. I don't know what life has in store for me. I am grateful for everyday going forward.

I was inspired by the art we saw in Europe. Some of it was so beautiful, it made me cry.

For the first time in many years, I really do not feel like I have had a significant experience. Maybe this is because the last 5 years or so I had big, big revelations. New jobs, a global pandemic, milestone experiences, health issues and fixes, big thought shifts, acceptance of being childless (all chronicled in these pages). This year flew by. Part of that is really due to my job. But a big part also is due to settling into all of these positions as part of the norm. When I look at my answer from last year I do wish I still had some of the urgent optimism...that sense of purpose that I felt. I felt like anything was possible. But it is impossible to sustain that kind of feeling. Learning how to be realistic and even keeled is what I need to manage this place in the long term.

Only significant to me. after almost 10 years of my knees stopping my trail running, my acupuncturist is slowly getting me back on track. I jog slowly, but can now do 20 minutes with no pain. I am ecstatic!

I lost 5 of my oldest cats this last year. They ranged in age from 20 ( the momma), to 19 to 18 years (her 2 litters), and Charlie, who was 15 years old. All were offerings from Mother Nature, in the form of refugees and rescues. All had come to major health concerns, 2 passed away at home, and 3 had to be put to sleep. I had all 5 cremated, with the remains returned to me. We fought to support a quality of life for them. Such sorrow, such regret...do we EVER get "the right moment" to put them to sleep? Aren't we always trying to do the right thing at the right time? I love them still. I am grateful to have had them in my life. They are part of me. I am hoping that the Rainbow Bridge idea is real, and that I can be reunited with them at my passing. In the meantime, I care for the remaining 4 rescue cats, 1 dog, husband and mom, and all the birds that come through my place. I find joy in their presence, and dignity and satisfaction in caring for them. I have Humility and gratitude at the fragility of life, yet we CAN act and have a positive effect on the lives of others.

My son Lennon was born on April 7. The whole experience was significant. After 4.5 years of trying and a tiring pregnancy he arrived healthy and happy. I am extremely grateful every day for my 2 children. I am also relieved to have completed my fertility journey. He and my daughter Rebecca inspire me daily.

A friend passed away suddenly, and that opened the flood gates to a lot of pent up anxiety and depression around the pandemic in general, burnout from work, and pent-up frustration with the world around me. It brought me to some dark places in my mind. Luckily I reached out and sought help; and through virtual therapy sessions and medication I feel like I'm better at noticing my stressors and coping with those issues before they become too much to handle.

I am writing from my mother's apartment in Manhattan, and feeling quite disheveled, having just gotten in last night, but not having been able to put my things away until this afternoon. So I am definitely having trouble seeing a bigger picture, or even (!) remembering what happened this year. I supposed "significant" is in the eye of the beholder, but I settle more and more into a repetitive loop of the same activities -- reading, taking care of my sig. other, exercise, a little bit of socializing -- and it bothers me that anything outside of that feels so precarious. That said, I was very happy to buy myself a new desktop computer and it has made my attempts at organizing and sifting through all my stuff seem more manageable. My old desktop was crazy slow. I feel a bit more energized to do some of the things I set out to do.

We were able to take a Caribbean cruise--our favorite form of vacation--after Covid prevented us from doing so for two years. It felt like a significant victory over forces beyond our control, and brought us much happiness.

I moved home after much back and forth. It was absolutely the right choice. It was initially hard for me to make the choice because I was anxious about what it would be like here, and not having my own space. Ultimately, it was the best thing I could have done for myself. I feel so relieved to not have to do everything myself, and to have companionship much more than I did living alone. I also really like saving money! Living in a greener place has also been a huge benefit.

I took the LSAT. I got a terrible score.

This past year, I started college! I moved away from home (from my family), to a completely new state, and more or less, started a new life. There are so many experiences within this umbrella experience, too many to write about, good and bad. Moving away from my family was maybe the best thing that could have happened for our relationship (especially with my mother). When I'm not home, I'm able to share life with her, to talk to her, and she is able to avoid being mean to me. I made new friends, lots of new friends, learned a LOT about Judaism (I am still learning and it has really expanded my mind about my identity), experienced the true annoyance I get from near codependence (living a floor below my friends this year is SO good for me), restarted therapy, was officially diagnosed with anxiety, and decided I want to work in National Security. So lots! This year has been, overall, really wonderful and right now, this Rosh Hashanah season, I'm happy to say I'm really happy!

infidelity with partner. After nearly one year has passed I am still in a state of disbelief and wondering how to feel love again for this person or others. I am still going through all stages of grief. I do not know how to trust anything that is said to me.

Injuring my left knee--MCL and meniscus and femur. I was skiing and fell and it completely changed my season, my outlook on this work, my relationship to myself, my relationship to others. I'm grateful in some ways--for that deepening understanding of how valuable it is to spend time this way. Working outside, with others, feeling the sky in your bones. It is unlike anything else and it's for that reason that I'm so scared to leave this place. I'm also filled with grief, for the way that things are still not the same (will they ever be), because of my alpine season torn up, my dreams put on hold for another bit of time, for the mountain courses that I have yet to be a part of. All of that. I miss who I used to be. I still haven't completely found her yet. This mental shift, while my knee is healing, has been so much harder than I ever thought it could be. Relying on others but struggling to reach out. What a giant challenge. It has changed my life in so many ways.

I got married! I am so grateful. Getting married has moved me into a different stage in my life for which I am anxious and excited. Changes are coming, and they are scary, but it's wild to be in a place where I can really start thinking about the rest of my life.

I developed a lot of health issues that so far, B"H, we've been able to diagnose. With this, I've gained a significant amount of weight with no changes to my routine. I've slipped into needing crutches again and having lots of physical injuries again due to hypermobility. I'm grateful. I've always had dysmorphia regarding my chest, and now I have a natural size I like since it looks far more balanced with the rest of me now. The hard part will be hopefully losing it when I lose weight.

I got to coach a close friend through her master thesis. I am very grateful for such an opportunity. I love teaching and helping make the world a little bit better. Doing it for and with a friend is that extra bit special. Maybe I should spend more time connecting with my friends so that more opportunities like this can arise.

I got diagnosed with autism It made me rethink my life

I've been doing quite a lot of volunteer work with Ukrainian refugees coming to my country, and it allowed me to learn a lot about myself: my abilities, my level of stress resilience, my feeling of self-worth. I definitely got a lot of out it, maybe more than the people I've been helping. I think I'll remember some of them forever, and the feeling of life being very fragile and very strong at the same time will stay with me for long.

I am pregnant! I had a little chuckle reading back last year's answers. My reaction surprised me slightly... I think I liked the idea of pregnancy but hadn't fully prepared myself for it, so it come as a bit of a shock. I am feeling very fortunate we are both healthy and it happened really quickly, but also didn't have much time to think about the actualities of becoming pregnant. It's been quite rough, the sickness and nausea have been intense at times, manageable mostly, but still pretty grim. We are working on getting the office complete so the nursery can be started, which are all really exciting steps! This is a big change and one it has taken a while for me to get my head around, as know my life will change forever in ways I have little control over.

I discovered I had long Covid. It was a relief after thinking l was just depressed. Learning to manage the symptoms, and my expectations and attitude, have been the central challenge of the last six months.

I finally was able to attend an ISDC conference in person. While I approached the whole conference with skepticism, it was really neat to meet many of these students in person and seeing them witness the optimism of the burgeoning commercial space industry. While I have a lot of concerns about the structure, organization, and leadership within NSS, I see a role that I can carve out for myself. It is inspiring me to make improvements to the Contest, including adding more cash prizes, updating the website to modernize, and to start a social media campaign to advertise the contest. I also hope to propose an undergraduate competition about in-space manufacturing. In summary I feel hopeful and inspired .

I lost my grandma this year and I still haven’t fully recovered from the loss. She did get to live to be 99, just a few months shy of the big 100 , and I feel like part of my resentment for this year comes from loosing her so early in 2022. I hope next year is better, and when her birthday does come around later this year, I’ll remember to do something special.

I took a new job where I feel strong, capable, and valued. I left a job where another familiar abusive pattern had become clear, and I am proud that I set a firm boundary for myself...and it has paid off in numerous ways. I'm grateful for strength and healing.

This year I got married, which I suspect will be the theme of many of these answers. The planning of it stressed me out (largely because I was at a course at the same time) and the execution of the day of wasn't exactly what I wanted... But the ceremony was as perfect as could be, and the most important thing is I got to marry a man who I truly believe will be a dedicated partner, someone to laugh with as we grow old, someone to encourage me and care for me and who I can do the same for. I am incredibly grateful for him, relieved that the wedding is over (if not a bit sad that it is, a bit regretful or jealous or frustrated with the things that went wrong) and I'm really looking forward to looking forward with him

I visited my 100th country! It wasn’t planned per se, but happened in November when we went to Panama. It was a huge milestone and really made me reflect on why I love to travel, what I have gained and learned from traveling, all the places I have been, people I have met, mishaps I have managed through, mágic I have experienced and just how lucky I have been to have seen so many place across this magnificent and messy globe we live on.

My husband died. It was a relief because he had been ill for 14 years, but I also miss him a lot. He was a good partner, lover, and friend, and I can't replace him.

Heh. So. I mean. I just separated from my husband and moved to Oregon from Massachusetts on Labor Day weekend, and moved in with a very new partner (of a mutual partner) How did it effect me? Better question is how it didn't. I'm very interested to see how I feel this time next year about it. Though I guess what I'm surprised it didn't effect is the way I don't really miss my husband at all. I miss the familiarity of him and our little life. I remember how comfortable I once was in his arms, how his face made my heart leap. I remember the love we shared. And I don't know where it went or how and why. I think this move was necessary for a variety of reasons. I needed to be jarred out of my comfort and complacency. I've had to really reevaluate what my priorities are and what I want my life to be, and I realized it wasn't just living and surviving and coping. I want joy. I want novelty. I want spark. I want to live, as intensely as I can. Have new experiences. Make the most of it. I still find myself mourning and disoriented. It's very new. But I hope it's a good new.

We just returned from the funeral of Geoff Chesbrough's wife of 60 years. What a loss. It brings the family into perspective and the need for closer contact ongoing. It also re-focuses my need to make each day a worthy one.

I was given the opportunity to step in to my old leader’s role for an interim timeframe while her replacement was re recruited. I am grateful for the opportunity because of the exposure it gave me. It gave me the courage to apply for the role but now I’m upset that I didn’t get it (due to lack of experience) and my new leader doesn’t seem to be even stepping up into her role. I resent my skip-level leader & in turn am starting to resent my new leader as well.

I took my girls on a real vacation. We drove there and back (something I didn't think we could do on our own). We navigated there and while we were there. We explored, discovered and enjoyed our time together. We rested, enjoyed good coffee and fell in love with a new city. We had the opportunity to talk, really talk and share our feelings about everything that we have been through since the divorce. I'm so grateful that we were able to do this together and relieved that we were able to. I never thought I could do anything like that without a man to do the driving and navigating.

I developed sciatica, hitting painfully on my birthday. I was worried that this would really be the end of significant physical activity for me, but with good physical therapy I was able to get back to pretty much full physical activity. I still get some pain 5 months later, but it is much, much better. It is a reminder that at age 62, it is pretty much "down hill" from here, but hopefully also a sign that I can keep it gradual by doing my best to stay healthy.

My Son's trauma. My older brother's cruelty and craziness. The unfairness that exists all around. RB's self-justifications, his creating of a warped, self-serving unreality, to victimize, and the continued exploitation of JT mirrors this society's Trump and his supporters leave me shocked, disgusted, angered and it deeply saddens me.

Oh, wow. So much seemed to happen in the past year. Bob died. Grandma died. Uncle Brad died. Nanny died. A beloved companion and spiritual ally proposed a 35 week sabbatical to which we haven’t spoken in nearly 5 months. I learned first hand of trauma response in the body and delved into the mind-body connection to understand my situation. As a result of attachment and loss, I experienced compounded stress that overstimulated the vagus nerve. The body became inflamed and I even passed out. I experienced waves of anxiety and near loss of consciousness that inevitably led me to the ultimate contemplation of death. Somehow, I have been able to take on an experiment with myself of having 8 months to live. The clock is ticking. So far, I have addressed a root trauma from early adulthood as a collegiate athletic who was cut from the team after asking the coach for help. I wrote a 3 page letter of my experience and sent it to the Athletic Director, President and Athletic Counseling staff at the college. We ended up having a virtual meeting to discuss my experience and how those in leadership at the college level can be better educated and prepared to handle difficult situations, particularly with student athletes. In lieu of a wave of death by suicide among students athletes, the timing was propitious. In the midst of other doubts, I carried on anyway by visiting a friend in LA, going to a concert by myself and staying at Airbnb, also traveled back and forth to Northern California to deal with Nanny’s estate. More than anything, I feel changed. The Buddha’s teachings have propelled me into a state of being and contemplation of how I spend my time. I am returning to meditation and found a local Sangha to which I attend a regular weekly gathering. I think I have felt it all and am still noticing the waves of grief as my plan to be happy has been abandoned for peace.

I finally bit the bullet and interviewed for a promotion. I got the job. I was hard to leave the location I worked at. I worried that I had made a mistake. I really don't think I did. The promotion came with a well timed pay raise, just as inflation started. I can focus on just my department. I'm not having to constantly fill in for another department. We have enough staff I can actually take off for a vacation. I can actually request off a year in advance if I want. There are many pluses to this promotion. I am glad I took it.

I prepared a personal reflection on my “jewish journey” to share with our congregation on Rosh Hashanah Day. Remembering, drafting, editing, seeking help with delivery, and then more editing required many hours of work spread over the month of Elul. In the end, I actually enjoyed delivering my 6 minute talk, Discovering my Jewish Purpose: To give and receive Love. I was anxious about taking this on and concerned that I would be too nervous to speak convincingly. Writing this now on the second day of the New Year, I can say that it was a great pleasure and honor to share. Many people have told me that they were deeply moved and a few have asked for my text. I hope that others in my community will want to have follow up conversations with me about their own personal Jewish journeys.

New job! Super grateful, super inspired. It’s a lot of work now, and, feels like a solid next step. :)

A lot happened, but what is coming to mind right now is my trip to Italy. It was so empowering and fun and adventurous… my very first solo travel, and despite the heat, pandemic, and a recently-sprained ankle, it was a huge success. I was so relieved to get through it safely, and do everything I hoped to do without giving up the precautions I wanted to take. I left feeling incredibly renewed and inspired.

Zev was born! I was scared to have two children, but it’s been so wonderful. I’m tired all the time but seeing Dov and Zev together fills my heart. I’m very blessed.

The sudden, wrenching trauma of being torn from each other in less than half an hour at the hospital when they shockingly said they couldn’t help him this time is agonizing. They healed you before, why not again? I watched you sink to your knees while your heart kept beating, your eyes still seeing, your breaths going in and out, even tho’ they said you were unconscious by now, and then they stopped your heart, your most precious treasure with which you made your magic. My whole being was screaming NO. In times past when you were in pain, I hid my fright and tears from you, tho’ you felt it anyway, because you didn’t need my pain on top of yours but now, and I’m so sorry, you watched me yell and scream and throw the clipboard wanting my signature across the room, begging the doctors to find a way. I wasn’t able to hold anything back in the face of what they were telling me, so I sobbed you to your death. I held you while all your life spilled into the dirt. Just like that. My compass, my brightest star, my reason for being .. it happened so fast .. what didn't you have time to tell me? I so want you to feel at peace with a happy heart now but perhaps you have regrets? sorrows unexpressed? more love you need to pour out? anything you want me to tell the others that treasured you before me? Anything unfinished? Can your rest now? I am deeply wounded, bereft and empty without you.

I don’t have time for this. We bought a house. I’m grateful but I also hate the house.

Retired January 2022, and it has taken me most of the year to find my footing--personally, as a wife, mother, friend, citizen. It seems every agita from the past has come into my consciousness again to finally be worked through, but I am doing so with more calm and confidence than in the past. This year has also given me the opportunity to truly bloom creatively. I am more my potential ME than ever before, and I love my life.

There have been numerous significant exeperiences whether in my personal life or within the world in the past year. I would say the one that stands out to me right now is the idea of the "great resignation" that has happened since COVID calmed down. People everywhere are realizing they are unhappy in their jobs, underpaid, and ready to do something for themselves which has meant quitting or finding a new job. This affects me because I've done a lot of considering on what my skills are, where my worth is, and what I can be doing differently. Grad school gave me a lot and if I don't have a student affairs job anymore, that is okay. I want to do something where I feel like I matter, where I don't dislike the people I work with, and where I feel valued. I'm taking a Project Management class this semester (starting next week!) and want to be prepared to use that when the time comes. It makes me feel grateful, inspired, but also scared because I don't know what is going to come next and I'm going to have to make decisions in order to be happy.

WELL I became a mom. I have Stacy to thank. She was a bad ass of a human and birthed our baby, Julian. October 17th. It was a wild ride. I still feel sad that I wasnt listening to Stacy and didnt hear that she was in alot of pain. I was listening to the Doula who said wait. Thank the goddess we went to the hospital and stacy was 5 cm dialated already. I think I didnt realize that I had expectations for how that day would go but looking back I needed to throw them out the window. I am so happy and honored I got to experience Julians birth and be there with Stacy. My life will be forever changed because of that moment.

Around this time last year I was involved in quite a big success at work. I have chosen my words carefully here because I don't really feel like I can say 'I worked on it' - that would be overstating my involvement. I started typing thinking I would say I was peripherally involved, but that wasn't quite right either. Anyway: I did some things to kick it off and move it forward and keep it going, but I definitely wasn't the main mover and shaker. This was a career defining moment but I felt very conflicted about it for lots of reasons, and a year on it still hasn't completely come to fruition. In lots of ways the last year was one of the worst in my career - I was so stressed that I was losing sleep. Seriously, a level of stress beyond anything I have ever experienced before. It's actually been very clarifying for me because I've realised that no job, no pay packet, no status is worth feeling like this. It put in motion - or perhaps brought forward - my plan to resign from this job and do something more fulfilling with my life. Chris always talks about setting himself a challenge in 10Q, so consider this my challenge: when I write these answers next year, I will not be in this job - and if I am, I'd better have a bloody good reason.

My husband and I took three weeks in May to travel around France and Spain by rail. We packed backpacks and set off with our Jack Russell, without much plan and no itinerary we wanted to get as far as Sevilla and back to the Netherlands for work in June. The freedom we had to roam and wandered brought us beautiful sights and the happiest of accidental experiences. We had lots of time to chat about our life’s next chapters. In terms of our values we discussed how we wanted to life. In conjunction with the natural world, in community with friends and neighbors (human and non), on our own terms and full of compassion. After many chats, our future began to look very different from what we thought it might. Staying in the military was out of the question, and moving into another federal career seemed incredibly incongruent. “What about being a chef?” my husband asks. Move back to the US and evolve our business. I’ve wanted to be a chef since I was very young but fear of instability prevented me from pursuing it. I’ve lived stability unhappily for years now, taking the risk to be fulfilled and making decisions based on joy and not fear is the best direction for us.

Being laid off during the pandemic. It affected me 'all of the above', as well as high financial anxiety/stress and an inability to fully let go and enjoy the unexpected opportunity to be a full time dad.

I put Wally down in 2022. It was and is a huge loss, and also a good one: unambiguous and right. I simultaneously miss her terribly and feel liberated by her death.

The most significant experience by far is becoming a grandmother. I am so happy and grateful to have a healthy, adorable, active, inquisitive little 10 month old explorer. He's an absolute joy! It's also wonderful to see that Evan and Steph are such good parents. (I've been to Seattle 3 times and they were here for their first visit to our house last week.) Steph is a real natural at mothering. I wish I could have been more like her when Evan was little. Milo is a very lucky little guy!

Is this significant enough? I went up to town recently on a Sunday to meet up with a friend on the Monday. I stayed at my brother Stef's place. It was one stuff up after another: I forgot my medication so had an awful night, the Turkish ice-cream shop I had wanted to try out for some time is closed on Mondays which we discovered when we arrived, I didn't take enough warm clothing, I was so zonked out I was at risk of killing myself crossing the road ... and so on. I didn't die, my friend didn't mind but I wondered if I was seriously coming apart at the seams (or in the early stages of dementia).

I finished my masters program and am now at least mostly qualified to be a librarian. I was (and continue to be) excited about having my MLIS, but also apprehensive about the future. There are so many possible directions for my career to go and settling on any one thing feels challenging.

Mom died. I am relieved; grateful that she was with me prior to her death because I got to see for myself just how sick she was, even though it was such a hard time for me; sad; grieving and surprised at how complicated it is to settle her estate. I know there's plenty more mourning to come.

Softball continues to be the focus of our activities but we decided that it was time to remodel our 1st floor and a couple of rooms on the 2nd floor. With the help of a designer we accepted the changes and embarked on the thrills and frustrations of remodeling construction. The end of the project is not finishing well. Before retiring I worked on projects with definite steps, timelines, identified resources, but this project is more casual and loosy-goosy than I like. Hopefully we can get all of the pick up work done and we can move our furniture, kitchen supplies, and other items back into their space.

The impact of the pandemic continues. trump and the big LIE continue to sadden and worry me and many others. People claiming to be Christian supporting the LIE, and trump with all his obvious CRIMES confounds me, totally a mystery how so many could be SO deceived. I am deeply pained and sad for the damaged person trump is and pray he be healed and see truth.

My mother died on January 29th. The day after 18 days after my first child was born. The experience humbled me and launched me into a struggle and internal conflict so great I resented every bone in my body for being both here, there, and nowhere. What kind of mother thinks to leave their baby to fly over seas to their own mothers funeral? What kind of daughter doesn’t attend their mother’s funeral? What kind of new mother cries over their babies head and resents them for being. What kind of person resents themselves, their baby and their mother for LIFE happening to them.

Well, my daughter was accepted to at least 9 universities after a struggle to finish her AA degree from Pierce college. She had so many obstacles put before her. But through perseverance and persistence she/we were able to overcome and graduate and get accepted to all the colleges she had applied to. She has 4 children from a 7 year old girl and a set of boy twins 4 years old and a baby girl of 2 which was diagnosed with high spectrum autism. Also during this same year she and our house came down with Covid. So along with all that she needed to do, we all had to go through the problems associated with Covid. But with a lot of hard work we managed and She was able to obtain and maintain a high GPA.

We reached financial independence after a lifetime of savings. This means our next steps are now possible. It also means that we are now in a state of major transition, which hasn’t come to fruition yet, but we are together in a state of preparation for a huge life change. It’s exciting, a little scary, but what we want.

Overall just my general motivation to get back in shape. When I turned 40last year I wasn't happy and it was time to make a change. Now I feel strong, fit & so much more confident.

The most significant experience of 2022 was leaving my job at Stout in May and moving from Menomonie to Menomonee Falls. This is probably the biggest change in my life in the past 20 years. I am so relieved to not be in the toxic mess of Higher Ed/Stout anymore. I am grateful that my sister gave me a soft place to land so I would have time to just be without constraint. I feel like I am still in this liminal space, not knowing really what the future looks like. I'm still making time to go slow, say no, and let me self feel grief.

Immediately after the High Holidays last year, we welcomed a puppy into our lives. I’m so grateful but also exhausted. She is a joy and a delight and I cannot believe that a whole Gregorian year and almost a Jewish year has passed since we brought her home. She is a whirlwind, has a mind of her own. She has both increased my well-being while testing it beyond limits I didn’t know possible. I’m so soppy for her. If we ever receive the blessing of raising children, I know that I will be wrapped about their little fingers more than our no-longer a puppy has me wrapped around her paw. I’m so grateful I get to take care of her.

2 significant experiences: Live-long changing: ACUPUNCTURE FOR MENTAL HEALTH. This has been life-transforming for me as I begin the journey of healing from childhood/developmental trauma from my mother's personality disorder. Grief, shame, loss, love - we have cycled through all of these, and will again. Sometimes acupuncture has affected me so deeply that I go down fast and hard into a dark space. I've learned that I need a stabilizing drug to shore up my foundation. I don't want to wear down that neural pathway! The ways in which I can love myself and find myself beautiful and not crave outside approval and (this is the newest, all of it is a work in progress) work with my terror, my ever-present terror. Even naming it "terror" (thank you, Toby!), not just fear - that was transformational in my understanding of some of my makeup. I am so very grateful for starting and continuing on this healing path. The last third of my life will be so different than the first 2/3s! That is miraculous to me. And I do feel G-d's hand in this - I felt called to acupuncture for a while before I made the appointment (because... sticking needles in me will really work? Seriously? and yes, sure does!). Thank you, G-d!! 2. Huge effect but eventually will integrate into fabric of my life: breakup with Michael. I can barely talk about this. It was painful, and I've analyzed it from so many directions. I circle through grief and anger and fear (terror) and acceptance; and then I start the circle again. The anger is mostly at myself - disgusted absolute revulsion at myself for staying, for believing, for trusting. Still working on that part, but I've come far - I'm more than halfway to full acceptance (integration), then apathy to his life (can't wait for that one, for sure!). Grateful for having been in love. Grateful (on some level :-) ) for having this heartbreak, even - I didn't think I could love anyone like I did Michael, and I didn't think I'd ever let anyone into that hard, hidden kernel of me, and I did. And. I'll be glad when my experience of this is more done than it is now.

At the top of the year, Ginger died unexpectedly. It was my first patient that I've known to pass away, and I she was a dope, meaningful person to me in her life and now in her passing. I feel her with me often, and I remember her in the sweet sentiment she shared with me, "Will there be flowers?" Love and miss you Ginger! Thanks for your brilliance!

I worked as an emergency medical technician and it scares the hell out of me. I saw how busted our systems of healthcare are and while I'm grateful for the knowledge, I'm frustrated.

There are too many...empty nesters with Jonah moving to Richmond (still job hunting) and Shane attending Case Western to play football. I think the most directly significant experience was my back injury, two herniated disks L4, L5, and S1 which means sciatica pain that was nonstop except when laying down, but after laying down getting up was even worse. I stayed in bed probably 12 hours a day. Got COVID the day before my surgery was scheduled and stayed in bed all day crying, it was the lowest point ever. Surgery finally happened on April 29th and I'm 5 months into recovery. Jeff stepped up, took care of me, picked up the slack, and was there every step of the way. He was amazing. I feel like I've come home and we celebrate 8 years together and our 3rd wedding anniversary is tomorrow. Having physical well-being is incredible but after it was taken away and returned, HUGE!

One major event that happened this year is that our son was diagnosed with anxiety. He has been struggling some with "new things" and at times it has been heartbreaking to watch. I am trying to work on my thoughts about this (and what I make this mean for his future, and my part in all of this) to be thankful for what we have. It could be WAY worse! I have also had some sadness around all of this as I want to protect him from everything in the world, despite knowing that it's impossible.

This has been a year with significant experiences. The death of my father-in-law last November, my new-new job (and all the drama that entailed) in January and my whole-hearted return to the theater this past summer have probably been the most significant. The death of my father-in-law saddened me. He was, in every sense, a mensch. And not only was he, he worked at it, and worked at showing others how to be one also. He held his family together and valued everyone who walked into it, by birth, marriage or choice. Last year, I wrote about thinking about my marriage and what might become of it. He was one of things I would miss most in choosing to walk away. As the family restructured around the void he left, I became less and less a part of it. Being left out of family discussions, conversations, catch-ups, etc. I became the puppy-sitter so my wife could see her mom. I became as irrelevant to them as I have been to her for so long. That is also very saddening. It is also very freeing. There’s less to lose in walking away. The job ordeal was nothing but tumult. The interview and offer phase was draining in the extreme. 45 interviews in 3 weeks, 3 finalist interviews, 1 offer. I started that job after a few weeks off. Found it to be utterly toxic. Then in the kind of surprise that happens once in a lifetime, one of the jobs (a better one) that turned me down, came back. They made me an offer. I went to work there, leaving the first job after only 8 weeks. The job has been no shortage of challenge, opportunity and creation every since. It’s demanding but fun! I am also leading a team for the first time in almost 20 years. My team inspires and challenges me every day. And it leaves me with only one question: how did I not see this side of leadership before? (Although, I know the answer...) Going back to the theater has been symbolic of my general - if slow - return to post-pandemic life. It’s one step at a time, with a lot of caution. But it’s happening. As summer turns to fall, and we enter a new year, I am starting to embrace seeing people, meeting new people and exploring the world I’ve been avoiding for 2-1/2 years. It’s frightening but exhilarating!

I took a day to make an early humans short film with William and his friends. It was uncomfortable to not look at my phone all day. I am so grateful we will have this memory forever. I hope it was a meaningful experience for him, something he’s proud of, and a chance for him to learn how videos get made.

My sabbatical was a really significant experience, the time with Dad, the pure focus on surf travel, the loneliness of again traveling solo. It resolved a lot, and led me to decide: "I'm an employee for now, San Francisco is home, travel and surfing matter enormously to me."

We bought a home and are making it ours. Each room reflects our emotional journey, the paradigm we are gradually developing: this means that while we do have an overall vision of the desire for spaces that match our key lifestyle activities, there is a lot about each space that the future will touch, and we allow the rooms to develop as we do. Enough IS enough, each day is sufficient for the needs of that day, and the process is as beautiful as the destination. We spend the necessary time just living in the house so that we can get to know the rhythms it produces in our days, and we are gradually (very gradually) making significant small adjustments as we find ways to better help the house to better help us to better live the desires that we have for today, tomorrow and the next day: one day at a time, fully embracing our space and our lives.

I started doing digital art professionally. It’s been challenging, especially trying to work around my executive dysfunction and my self-doubt, but it’s been very gratifying that people have hired me and enjoyed my work. I hope I can keep doing it.

my father in law and my mom died on the same day. two very different relationships, two very different deaths. full of life, mike planned his death. my mother's death was drawn out and lifeless. i am thankful my father in law died first, at 1pm. i was able to be fully present with my husband, kids and my mother in law. it was an incredibly intense and special day i don't ever want to forget. i knew my mom was close to dying. my dad was in denial, was still trying to squeeze out solutions from her oncologist just before they finally allowed hospice to come in. she died late at night. over the last 5 years, my parents did not want to work on our relationship. good at denial, they wanted to ignore the sharp pieces of glass all over the floor - no clean up necessary. add that mendacity to covid and i have not seen my parents since 2017. carrying around hope that my mom would wake up from her anger with me was heavy, and i feel lighter since she has died - now there is no more hope. my father in law lived by the credo - why walk through life when you can dance? and dance he did, always leaning in to finding joy. he accepted his failing health and with love and selflessness, he chose to die so that his family would not be burdened. i am grateful and inspired by this man. he loved the jewish holidays and i so wish he was here to lead us in kiddush and shaking the lulav. we feel sad to not have him with us... but it is not heavy grief. he made a choice and he let us be there for him at the end with a shema and full hearts.

As Sherlock Holmes would say, The most significant event of the year was that no really significant event occurred: in our immediate family no births, no deaths, no wedding, no divorces, no serious illness or accident. At age 78, my, that’s very good news and I’m very grateful.

Scott nearly died. I can't, even right now, really wrap my mind around it. All I can envision comes from television programs that make this sort of thing both more and less dramatic than it actually was. He got very very sick. They did surgery to try to fix the situation and it went sideways. Five months later - still sideways and sick and in pain. I wonder sometimes if I will get past the moment of sitting carefully on the couch in the "room" where you go only when something terrible has happened. I wanted to be so present and ask all the right questions - and I think that I did. It wasn't until I was babbling in the ICU because I was so tired and I couldn't stay there. I was so worried that I was a bad person because I needed to lie down for just a moment, just an hour so I could think again. It wasn't until just a few days ago that I was listening to a mystery where someone going into shock was described - and I realized that I had been in shock. The team didn't know me and I bet I looked tired and stressed but no one seemed to realize that I wasn't actually functioning. I'm so grateful that he survived, that he recovered 70% of his life so quickly that he was discharged directly from the ICU...but man that 30% hits hard. We are so exhausted, so overwhelmed. I'm not sure on any given day that I'll finish the day as a whole person. One day, some very small thing will flip a switch and I'm just going to stop...everything.

A significant experience last year - my Hebrew learning with Susan led to me teaching a class from NJOP without an aligned TE. I am grateful - it showed me I need not be perfect to be impactful.

A had a difficult and significant breakup this past year. It uprooted my current life as well as my future plans, and the way I view myself and my relationships. At the same time I am very grateful and relieved for the breakup, and felt a sense of euphoria and freedom once I was removed from the immediate pain of the loss. I feel inspired to lean into this season of growth and coming back into myself, as well as finding out who I am going to be now.

Our publishing company launched in February, and has published 14 items. I am excited by it, but also anxious about it. I worry about the details we don't have nailed down, and about the balls I feel like I'm dropping. At the same time, it feels unreal, too good to be true. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Taking over the bakery fron my dad officially. I needed to get a therapist and take a strong dose of liquid courage to start this journey. It’s still happening so I’m interested to see what happens.

I did a medicine retreat and it was transformational. I feel lighter. More free. My depression has lifted.

The big one this year is my pregnancy. I'm due in just over a month and lots is going to change! It's interesting, because we could have gone either way between being a 1-kid family or a 2-kid family. I effectively was an only child and my husband has one younger sibling. We agreed to start trying to get pregnant in late October, but we weren't hyper-vigilant about tracking things, and didn't actually manage it until late February, at which point we were very close to saying "if this doesn't happen, forget it." Isn't that how so many good things come to pass? You try over and over again and reach a point of frustration and resignation, and that's when the thing happens? Anyhow. I am grateful the pregnancy has gone well so far, though I am certainly 5 years older than I was last time, and in some ways my body is having a rougher time than it did with our first. I'm excited to welcome a second child but have literally no idea what I'm getting into...! I mean, I kind of do, I know what having a newborn entails, as it's one of the hardest things I've ever done, and OMG the sleep deprivation, but I don't know anything at all about siblings. Being pregnant kind of sucks and I'm looking forward to never doing it again, because we are absolutely done after this one for a myriad of reasons, but I'm also acutely aware this is the last time in my life I will ever experience certain things - wiggles and kicks inside me, as I type, for instance. There aren't many things you can point to and definitively say "this is the last time this will EVER happen" in the moment. Here we go.

I traveled to Africa, to Tanzania, for the first time. I am so grateful for the opportunity. I was sent by my school and it was 2 years in waiting. I worked with a Kenyan art educator and we collaborated with his students in creating ceramic tile murals about water and sustainability. I feel changed in ways that are still being revealed to me. I am most excited and inspired around how this is impacting me as an artist as I make ceramic pottery.

I'll likely be talking about this a lot. My friend Rick died a couple weeks ago. Yet another friend I've lost to cancer. His death has hit me hard. More than any of the other deaths I've been through over the last couple of years. He was only 67. It snapped me into the reality of how old I am and to really start to come to terms with aging and dying. I am angry that Rick died. He was so positive. Bounced back from 2 insane horrible physical battles and kept his positive attitude. Way better than me. Since Rick died I have been trying and often failing to be in the moment and to really appreciate and finally be #grateful for what I do have. My health. A wife who loves me. A good job. I am really #blessed. But I don't feel blessed. I'm trying. I turn 70 next month. Can't come to terms and it doesn't matter that I don't look my age. I am still freaking out about being old!

This last year, I had a powerful experience with plant medicine, learning & planting a garden without borders in Greece. Sourcing and understanding how herbal supplements had supported the healing of my body. In the Amazon, I met my Grandmother as White Owl during an experience with Ayahuasca. She told me to erase my shame & took me on a journey through the places I was most afraid to love. And loved me in her wide wings. I also fell in LOVE & manifested LOVE over & over in my life. For the first time, since my deep separation, I remembered what it was like to 'fall in love' & be loved in that deep unconditional way. I moved to a new community and surrounded myself with beloveds whom I can walk to or share a meal with easily! What joy! I saw the seeds planted of our project in Ecuador & watched the power of healing & partnerships when you let 'divine time' & 'flow' - AKA the wind & water energies, move beyond just the earth & fire. Learning how to let go, became an essential part of my learning, as old habits fell, boundaries formed, & learned fearfulness started to quiet into a sweet inner glow. Our global projects created powerful & deep new collaborations, bringing our methodologies to those who need them most. I traveled to California & saw the most ancient Redwoods, basked in community/creativity, & joy & renewed my love for MASSIVE marine animals, blubbery wonder! I danced a shit ton, sang, launched new projects, created art, & reconnected to Spirit in ways that deeply aligned with my shape in the world! I love this year, depsite it being often hard & heartbreaking & being sick & scary...Today, I am writing this after burying tobacco and praying with Scarly in front of my tree brought to me by Mariana. I visioned that I would stand there again in 1 year and never have believed that the transformations inside of me were possible. So next year, be prepared to read the updated saga...

WELL, here goes: I'M PREGNANT!!!! Last year my answers had a lot to do with the depression that followed after my second miscarriage and failed fertility treatments, and watching my sister and sister-in-law have their babies while struggling with my own sadness. So much has happened in the past year, but this is by far the biggest event in my personal life. I survived COVID (yes, I did get Delta, in November), got boosted, my sister had a second son and my niece is now 9 months old. I'm six months in (OMG!) and due the day after Christmas - which suddenly seems so soon! Working on decorating the nursery and picking out a dress for my baby shower in a few weeks =D It's definitely hard, but I'm so excited for what is to come.

My niece had a second child and asked us to take care of their 3yo while she and her husband were at the birthing center. It was an honor to be asked and deeply satisfying to bond with Lev on a new level. (And also incredibly exhausting!) In the absence of grandchildren of my own, this relationship has been a real blessing.

The most significant experience was my hysterectomy. It was the first time I've ever undergone major surgery. Before the surgery it was unknown exactly what these masses growing on my uterus were, so it was also my first "cancer scare." I was so scared beforehand, not only to think I might have cancer, but also I was scared of having the surgery itself. I've always been afraid of going under anesthesia and not knowing what was going on. Now that it's all behind me, I am definitely relieved. And also very grateful that it was not cancer, and I can move forward with my life. I also felt a sense of pride almost in myself that I made it through this ordeal. Like, I did it. I survived. It wasn't so bad. And now I feel like if/when I have surgery again, I know I can make it through that and be okay.

My husband lost his job. That made me feel SO resentful. I feel I’ve always had to put my dreams on hold to take care of someone else. I’ve eventually come to accept the situation and look for ways to accomplish my dreams bit by bit while I’m in this holding phase.

Our trip to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico was educational and inspirational. I enjoyed being in the company of Karen's artist friends and learning about ancient civilizations from an expert and seeing the sites of their cities and temples. It was also great to return to NYC for in-person theater! A Strange Loop, Company, Six, Paradise Square, The Music Man, Funny Girl and Moulin Rouge! Oh yes! and "How I Learned to Drive," reinforcing my opinion that Mary Louise Parker is an amazing actress!

Sexual encounter...alive, excited, stressed,

Moving from my place downtown: staging; selling; living at my sister's for three months. and then buying my current place - and finding out it will NOT be my forever home. :-| So much anxiety, money spent, frustration at the TERRIBLE movers - just to find this gorgeous new space and realize that it too, has problems I need to deal with and now I have to sit in the discomfort of dealing with them because I can't afford to move again anytime soon. I don't feel regretful even though I sold at the height of COVID where no one wanted to live in a condo because of elevator restrictions, so I lost money on the sale. I needed to get out of that unit. I also can't blame myself for not knowing all the pitfalls of my new place - the market here is so nuts that you can barely get a legal opinion on the status certificate before you have to submit your best possible offer or lose out. It's just disappointing to know that I still don't feel completely "at home" in my own home.

This year, I had to leave my house because of mold. It was so hard. We stayed in an air b and b and then an apartment for a total of six months. It was so hard but we as a family showed a lot of resilience. I was most impressed by my kids strength. We got through it and now we are back in our house. I hope this coming year will be better.

This past year, I saw friendships end, friendships begin and friendships deepen. I've been caught up in the difficult phase of reconciling that two people with whom I've called my best friends, are not the people I can count on anymore. I wonder if I am relieved. While it did take quite a bit of time recover from the losses of such friendships - I've given myself permission to deepen and create new friendships. Like, my work friend AnnMarie. AnnMarie and I share a lot in common and love spending time with one another. I also love that my boyfriend has taken on a role as my best friend. Josh, like AnnMarie, makes me laugh and allows me to be vulnerable. True friendships don't need to rely on long histories. They need to rely on care, love, mutual respect and empathy.

Grateful that I was able to give my son the celebration he deserved and grateful that I was able to mentally get through it all regardless of all the outside nastiness that we experienced in the build up

Oh man. 2022 was a year. I received a poor performance evaluation which doesn't generally happen...and I can't really be upset because I am generally more hard on myself than others, but when someone else agrees...it hurts. My company closed its doors after 5 years, which isn't a long time, but I wasn't really interested in starting over again. My (youngest) son had open heart surgery, we knew he may need it eventually, but it was expedited by the loss of my insurance. I completed an Ironman. 140.6 miles in 12 hours Lost of change. not all bad...

Getting a new job/becoming a carpenter which has inspired me to become a journeyman

We are a family with 5 children, now adults, of whom 4 are married to people they love and love us. We are blessed with 5 grandchildren, and this event is about our latest, Elouise. My oldest daughter, Samantha, and her husband, Drew, had our first granddaughter, Matilda, 2 1/2 years ago. She is fun, playful, and all-around great. This year we had been expecting our latest grandchild from Samantha and Drew. We kwen from the Matilda's birth that things tend to happen fast. We reviewed a call at 3am from Drew to get to their home ASAP, it was time. My wife, Bonnie, was to be the designated nanny for Matilda while Samantha and whomever were recovering in the Hospital. It took us like a haft hour to get into the car and on the way. In that time we got another call to drop everything and just come NOW. WE raced to their home, typically, 20 minutes, I did in 10, to a seen no one should ever see when they get to their child home. There were 3 fire engines, 2 police cars, and 2 ambulances at our daughter's condo. At first I thought is was something else besides the birth of our newest grandchild, only to find out: I left my wife out of the car as close as I could get due to the ambulances. I then found a spot to part in and walk up to the condo, via the front. I saw an EMT at the bottom of the stairs and a gerny rolling way from the front door. When I got to the door and saw my wife she said that there went the baby and my daughter was unconsolable with blood every ware in her powder room. i thought the baby was still-born and my how world crashed in on me. I started to cry and Bonnie pressed me to stop so that we did not upset Smantha and Drew any more. After a few minuted of talking with the officer and my wife I came to understand that the baby was going to be fine and that Samantha with Drew had an unexpected home birth. My emotions did a full 180 that morning and I cannot say how may times I spoke to HASHEM in thanks and gratitude.

This past year, I forgave my father for the harms and abuses he has caused me. I can see him through a lens that informs me of his own shortcomings, and humanity. I no longer feel resentful toward him, which allows me an easier navigation of my family. I was able to tell him that I know he tried his best, I believe he did. However, I know that there are things that I haven't addressed with him, or that our family hasn't properly addressed. Furthermore, even with forgiveness, I still carry around immense shame. I'm always so ashamed and afraid of my own emotions and the opinions of others. I wonder how I can make some headway and begin to release some of this shame. Do I believe things go awry because they're all my fault? Do I believe I'm less worthy of love if I have hardships from my past? Am I only okay because I don't allow myself to emote? I think, I believe, deep down, if I'm not easy to be around than I'm worthless and will be abandoned. Do I inherently believe I'm a worthwhile person? If not, how can I demonstrate this to myself?

I had breast cancer. I went through 8 cycles of chemotherapy, a double masectomy with reconstruction, and 25 radiation sessions - along with countless other tests, physical therapy and other appointments. It's made me a much stronger person. If I could get through medical treatment that made me sick, weak, tired and scarred, I can get through anything. As bad as it all was - and it was really bad at some points - I oddly miss some of the moments that I remember from the past year: lying in bed watching TV, spending more time with Allan and the kids, listening to music while resting, etc. I think it's because those moments were ones when all I needed to do was focus on getting myself through the day. No responsibilities, nothing else being asked of me.

Losing my dad unexpectedly was the most significant thing that has happened to me over the course of this past year. It's still hard to believe that he's gone somedays, but I am so grateful for the time we did have together. I am especially grateful for having had the opportunity to visit him and my mom on three different occasions over the course of the year. Given all that transpired, that time with him now takes on new meaning to me. I'm also incredibly grateful that I was close to my dad and am not left feeling like there was something left unsaid or unresolved. He passed peacefully from a massive heart attack. Selfishly, I'm grateful that I did not have to watch his mental decline continue into full on Alzheimers and I'm grateful that he did not suffer. I'm also incredibly grateful for the wonderful life he lived, the way he lived it with such an adventurous and generous spirit, and for the fact that he included all seven of us in every aspect of his life. We are all better off because of this. I'm inspired to do right by him through being true to my own sense of adventure, generosity, and love for connection with others. Thank you, dad.

Hurricane Ida hit New Orleans where I live. My house, thank God, survived with minor damage. My electricity was out for a little over a month. My husband has a job that protects a chemical plant from blowing up down here, so he had to stay. I stayed with him. The silver lining of this bad situation was that I was able to make warm acquaintances with my neighbors. Before our electricity went out, I cooked all the food in my freezer and fridge and put it in containers. The morning after the storm, I went around to my neighbors to check to see if everyone was okay (911 wasn’t working — I wanted to know who needed help), and I handed out food to them. They in turn were very kind to me as well, helping me and my husband with a cool room in a house with a generator, bags of ice they obtained from work in restaurants, and other kindness. I am sorry of course for the storm and all the damage it did. I am not sorry that it provided an opportunity for me to build and to partake in community.

Miri become a B'Nai Mitzvah, with a full crowd, at the tail end of Omnicron. I was so proud of them - and loved how much they took it all in - yet is was shocking that for so many of us it was the first in years sine we had been with so many people - it was shocking and hard for us to do emotionally.

First full year of living on my own in the big city. Not all that it's cracked up to be, bit I'm glad I managed to find my groove and start "dating myself", and going to all the shows and all the experiences I couldn't go to if I wasn't living in the Merkaz.

My dad was diagnosed with cancer in November and passed in March. I am not sure how it has affected me just yet, but I am very sad. He was a remarkable human being and had so much more I wish we could have shared in life. He inspired me with his kindness and dedication. I am grateful I was with him in is final months, and I miss him very much. I feel motivated to be more intentional and purposeful in my life, cherishing the relationships, beauty, and joy around me.

I have realised that I if do nothing, nothing will change. Pretty obvious and simple and yet I am realising it now only. In the past year, I sort of waited for something to happen, and guess what? Nothing has. And nothing will if I don't do anything different.

Wow...so much has happened this past year...in order of occurrence...we moved into our new house 1/4...Lois went on hospice 4/12...we got an electric vehicle 4/24... many, many trips to ABQ $60 round trip (compared to $240 round trip)...we got engaged 5/24...Lois died 7/2...we got married 7/24... Lois memorial 8/13 ... we got a puppy (Chili Dog Yumm!) 8/22... and I'm running for public office (election 11/8). I'm grateful for every single bit of it. Wow.

The birth of my grandson, Ira Jerome on June 23. The immediate love for this little guy was extraordinary and right away I felt the difference in being a bio grandmother. I get to share the roots of our side of the family. I want to spoil him and introduce him to so many things. Of course, I was relieved he arrived safely. I love him with all my heart

Our neighbors 100 year-old oak tree fell into our yard just barely missing our house during a freak storm the day after our dog died. It felt symbolic of our marriage and truly inspired me to look inside and think about ways that I can be "reborn". We have been in marriage counseling for a few years and have seen some progress, but underlying tensions and resentments still remained under the surface. The tree symbolized (to me) us holding on to a foundation that was not healthy, and its falling was a release from that. Something new would grow from that. We both have been able to talk about really difficult things since then and have become better listeners and better partners for each other. Since then, too, our devastated yard has started to grow and bloom again, much like our marriage.

I decided to fall in love with someone who is polyamorous, therefore committing to being in an open relationship. Lots of learning, difficult conversations, some jealousy, but also huge expansion emotionally. It's inspired me to keep growing, questioning and accepting.

Willow started kindergarten. Having two kids in elementary school makes me feel extremely old but also so excited for them to learn and grow and make friends and have all the school experiences I loved as a kid. It's also WAY busier and having to manage our time better has been a challenge we are still figuring out.

Prior to the start of COVID, we were on the go all the time. Finally, after a year and a half of staying very close to home, we've started to venture out a little bit. In many ways, it feels good. But it still doesn't feel normal or safe to me and I'm amazed by the people who either never stopped doing things or picked up more than a year before we did. Our travel has been either nearby or visits to family. I'm definitely jealous of those who feel it is safe enough to travel to Europe. I'm hoping I'll feel good enough to start planning a trip to Italy in the next month or so - for NEXT year!

Getting engaged!! I am grateful and it’s been a fun journey so far. It’s causing me to think further ahead about where I want to go in life!

I hosted an exchange student who is the same age as my daughter. It was one of the most challenging experiences that I ever had - two teenage girls who, as it turned out, did not really click. I had to deal with indifference, resentment, even jealousy, and I was not prepared for that. Even though I liked our exchange student I was relieved when the year was over in early June.

The most significant experience of the last year was buying our house. After so much time and energy in an insane market a state away, we finally found one that is pretty darn great. Now for years and years of time and energy to make it ours. I am relieved, anxious, in love, overwhelmed, excited, inspired, proud, and eager.

We bought a home this year on March 22nd. It’s been revolutionary. We have quiet, a yard, and have become better partners by working together on getting needed repairs etc done. I’ve planned a garden and Elliott has loved having a yard.

Got my Tesla and moved out! I am very grateful but also nervous, I am very obsessed with finances and my biggest fear is going broke so obv these combined have me constantly thinking about every little thing I spend on. But I am also very happy because I am living out a dream! It's such a back and forth feeling in my head.

Met someone and I am in love. Didn’t think I would ever live someone again. It’s made me happy and sad. Revisit old traumas and play out old dramas. Very informative to be transformed to the hurt child. We are just starting our relationship and recognize this. I want to heal. So does he. I am very grateful that we met. It is a Devine appointment.

I got COVID in late June. So relieved I was only really ill for a day and a half; so resentful because I've been very careful and got all the shots and boosters. Inspired - all through this pandemic I've been praying for everyone who has worked to help all of us in the general public have reasonably normal lives - the street sweepers, the store clerks and medical personnel from the national service volunteers in hospitals to the scientists in labs and everyone in between.

Our beloved dog died. We'd had her for almost the entire 7 years of her life. She got sick in the summer, declined and had a brief recovery in winter, then that was it. It is hard to think of this year as the last we shared together.

Last year around this time I began my graduate studies. This has been such a hard but worthy journey and I'm not done yet (I changed my program after this spring's semester so I have another year to go before I'm done). For a long time I told myself I couldn't handle something like graduate school, but over the course of my 30s I built up a lot of self confidence I never had before. Moving to another state where I had never been and didn't know anyone was a major moment. Then I moved to another country and traveled mostly solo across a continent. I also lived in a small town and learned another language and culture. So I came back to the states feeling more ready than ever to continue challenging myself, and that set me up for some disappointments (more glass ceilings in my career). But here I am pursuing my dreams :)

it is funny that my first thought is...nothing happened. However, the obvious answer is that I was diagnosed with cancer. It is a very small cancer, but cancer, nonetheless. However, that was overshadowed by the fact that it was diagnosed incidentally during a surgery that I truly longed to have, all my life; to have a reduction mammoplasty so I could stop looking like a freak. Even though I am now 70 years old, and wish I could have had it done 50 years ago...no, sixty years ago!....I am so proud that I finally got up the courage to go to a surgeon and say all the words out loud. I feel normal for the first time in my life, ever, and I can't express how thankful I am.

We sold our house. We loved it but it had become too much for us and we had wishes to travel. Now we are in the in between time. This sucks but will end soon. It is an adventure to be savored.

It hasn't been a year for big experiences -- for which I am mostly grateful! Randy moved in just before the beginning of the new year last fall -- that's proven to be a wonderful change in my life, despite some modest challenges. My continued recovery from cancer treatment has also moved slowly but surely. I'm back on the bimah for these High Holy Days, which is wonderful.

Getting my cat Lush. I think that's when I knew I felt fully at home in this flat and that I now have a safe space. Because I wanted her to feel safe here and with me as well. I love her so much and I'm so happy I'm allowed to give her tummy scritches now and pick her up.

Before this year, I'd never fallen in love with somebody where it felt like the process of getting to know each other & intertwining our lives allowed me to become more of myself.

I visited my daughter in England for the first time since she has lived there, I was grateful to be able to go and had an awesome time. I was amazed at her courage for taking the leap to move there.

The experiences this past year that have most affected me have been cumulative: the limitations from Covid, from having too much work and not managing it as well as I could, turning 71, my aging body and mind slipping slightly but unmistakably to lesser abilities and the life threatening illnesses or li loss of friends or family, all on ongoing flow, make me more aware of the shrinking time line.

I applied for and was approved for Medicare. It turned out to be a bureacratic nightmare because I have switched my first and middle names on my identifications without changing them officially. After hours and hours of phone calls and visiting the office, I was able to connect with an administrator who went the extra miles to get me approved. I am grateful and relieved for her good work, while resentful of the mess that computers make with our identity as they insist on forcing us into a mold.

I began teaching at a high school. This is what I’ve wanted since I was a kid.

I went to work at Bristol Lifestyle Recovery. I wasn't expecting to change jobs. It has been a challenge to rise to the occasion of everything that is required for this job. I am frustrated today about some conflict with staff, but it's all part of the growth process. This job has been a good fit and a great challenge. I am grateful for the opportunity.

Our son is destructive with any new toys he gets. He opens gift and rips things without waiting. He also takes things without asking; such as food from the fridge. It affects us because my husband and I are stressed out and annoyed.

I had a below the knee amputation. It actually made me realize that I am much stronger than I originally thought.

I started taking conversational Hebrew recently and I like slowly learning Hebrew.

I finally fully retired. At first I felt pretty lost, I changed my schedule & found myself wasting many hours a day. I was immediately relieved of the stress & did not go to sleep worrying about what had to be done the next day. Then I realized I still needed to do something with my life & I went back to the gym which forced me to get up & do stuff, then I started volunteering & made a new friend then I went to a meeting & made 2 more. I wouldn't say I was inspired, but I am trying to reach outside of my normal introvert self.

A significant experience that i went through in this last year was switching schools, because it tested some friendships and taught me a lot about myself

Well, there's that little thing called Cancer that happened. It was a big deal -- very focusing and all-consuming. Felt so much love and support . That part was wonderful. The chemo, not so much. But I was grateful it was found early, grateful for my Beau's devotion, grateful to get thru the treatment, and hopeful that it is now behind me. I hope the effects will linger: the feeling of being loved, the focus on appreciation of life, the determination to fill my days before it's really time to go. I don't know why those things are so difficult to sustain, but they are. So I will resolve to keep them in the forefront of my heart and mind.

I got to goal with Weight Watchers and became Lifetime for the first time. I am proud of my accomplishment! I am sticking to the program and will be letting the weight off for good.

My sister passing away after 3 months in hospitals with mental and physical health issues. Very sad but also relieved at not having to be responsible for her any longer

Alex and his family are PSC to Japan. It concerns me because of the situation with China and Taiwan. It also saddens me because they will not be in the US and easy to visit. Hopefully Japan will not go Covid crazy again and we can get there.

My uncle passed away after a long battle with cancer. This is the first person in my very large, extended family of my parents generation to pass away. Prior to him, it was always in my grandparent's generation. Watching all of my other aunts and uncles at the service made me realize that while they were also grieving the loss, they are also realizing their mortality. Life is precious!

One significant experience just happened yesterday (9/25/22)! I just PR'd at the half marathon length, beating my record last scored at age 34 by 5 whole minutes (8 minutes since my last race in june, 19 minutes since my first half of the year in January, when I was actually scared I wasn't going to beat it at all. This made me realize the importance of steady growth (I did work hard, but not with burnout) and I'm still in shock that I was able to improve my time 8 years later, not just by a little. It makes me feel like the sky can be the limit as long as I keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I became very conscious of nurturing relationships especially when I had to do it remotely - actually started keeping a list of the 15 people I felt closest to and when the last time I had contact with them was - I felt loved & nurtured & relationeships got closer - will keep it up even if I can do it now in person (mostly).

News of Mom's tumor returning just the last month. It's making me realize how much I am just waiting in my life. Waiting for something to happen with Mom, waiting for her next emergency, waiting to rescue her, waiting for her to die, waiting to deal with the house and all of her possessions. The news itself isn't a surprise but is a big Here It Is moment. Mom's reaction led to a fight between us that was really upsetting. She scolded me for not managing her feelings of fear around her prognosis and I am so so not ever going to do that. I feel like I have to shut down/guard myself even more with her to protect myself.

Realizing that I have depression, that I am not weak but that there is a condition that throws me off balance every year at a similar time. Noticing that I need to recover and that I have used up my resources way to quickly. So I need to resource my self and take care of myself first.

I lost my gallbladder after being really sick and I was hospitalized twice due to this illness. I feel relieved that I was healthy in the end but I was also surprised to learn I had fatty liver disease and that I wasn’t as healthy as I thought. It made me think about the mortality of my body in a less than abstract way and it made me scared. I feel thankful to have recovered from that illness without incident.

There are many, but the one most on my mind today is that Temi died 363 days ago. It made me tired, and sad, and sick. I cut my hair short and dyed it purple and gray. I couldn’t sleep in my bedroom for nearly six months - during the same time as a massive rosacea breakout all over my cheeks, nose, and eventually eyes. I miss her so much. I feel a gaping hole when I think of her, like my chest will collapse and I’ll slowly implode into nothing. And I grieve, truly every day, for the way she died. It breaks my heart again and again, sometimes as sharp as the first time. Sometimes I try to reach for her…spirit, I guess. I believe Louis has visited me twice, but Temi never has. I feel like she disappeared into a void and she’s stuck there and I can’t reach her or get her out. I grieve. I grieve. I grieve, my heart completely broken.

My daughter moved to Canada and it’s been so hard to miss her constantly but ultimately it’s been helpful for her so far. She’s still getting her footing there but I truly feel it’s for the best for her. Being a parent is hard because you can’t know what the ramifications of big decisions are.

Last year I finally started getting regular help for anxiety and depression to include medication. This year I have since gotten out of therapy and made very positive strides in my life. I am only seeing my psychiatrist every other month to check-in and get refills on my meds. I am grateful that I have access to health care and also that I am dealing with life and other people with much less anxiety. It’s not that I don’t ‘feel anything’ but rather that I feel other things than anxiety. My life is much fuller and I am able to reign in my time perspective, as it were. Being nostalgic about the past, but not guilty and regretful; being present in the moment to enjoy it; and having a positive (and potentially transcendent) view of the future. This is such a relief, that I have been able to break the cycle of depression and anxiety. I am inspired to continue on this path! “[Rebbe Nachman] wrote powerfully about depression so intense that one cannot find the strength to move. Perhaps this is why he emphasized empathy over judgment in his stories.” (Caplan, 2019). References: Caplan, E. (2019, September 13). Healing the soul: Judaism & mental health. Jewish Family Services of Delaware. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://www.jfsdelaware.org/healing-the-soul/

We all got vaccines. Doron got his last Thursday: it felt so normal I could cry. I do badly want to be in a normal Rhythm again I can taste it.

The death of the 21 year old son of friends of mine affected me deeply. It was only a month ago, and the shock is still with me. I feel scared, thankful for my own children, and empathy for my friends. I can’t even begin to imagine the hole in their hearts.

Hearing that my cancer is again stage 4 and returning to immunotherapy. I remained nonplussed - optimistic. Continued to exercise, close to doubling my pace from last year.

I started and left a job in less than a year. Left academia and then pinged back in. I think it was just one of those things, but I worry it means I have bad judgment and no usable skills outside of academia and my life is still not Together yet at 35.

I took a leave at work, it has forced me to re-examine priorities and myself in a way I have neglected for a long time. I am grateful yet still feel like I have a long way to go to getting better.

Qualifying as a hypnotherapist. I felt elated, relieved, excited, buzzing. Very hopeful for the a new chapter of my life. It gel very significant.

Finding spiritual help through Abraham Hicks. I stumbled upon it and the guidance has been very helpful.

My dad died. It was honestly a relief. I watched him slowly decline (Parkinson’s) for 10 years until he was no longer the person I knew. When he died I began to be able to reconnect with the person he was for the majority of my life rather than his painful and uncomfortable final years.

The most significant experience I've had is that I moved my mother into assisted living, and my father is in rehab after major surgery for a broken leg and arm. They will not be going back to their home of 43 years. It was at once a relief and a huge emotional undertaking. But, I rose to the occasion and managed to get my mother into assisted living only five days after my father's accident. It was fortuitous that my father was the one to need to go into the hospital for an extended time, since my mother has long term care insurance, but my father does not. I am grateful that the process was easier than I had thought. Now, I just have to work on getting their house emptied of 40+ years of accumulations.

A significant experience that happened in the past year was graduation. I expected it to be a huge happy day, and it was, but it was also sad. Transitions are hard, and I entered the summer full of uncertainty. And I still feel uncertain about where I stand. I am grateful I got an education and that I had amazing friends. But I missed so much due to COVID and depression. It's hard to feel like I got what I wanted out of it. And now, seeing people who are still close with their college friends, I feel jealous and sad. I miss having people I was so close with. I hope I find some new friends soon, but I know it will never be the same as it was.

This is a tough one. I was still reeling from and confused by Sister’s death a month or so before HHDs. The rest of the years seemed to have that shadowing it, but not much of significance happened. Not that ‘m complaining; it was a good year, lots of good things happened and I feel blessed to have the life I do.

Finally ending my term as a program director was a big one for me. 28 years as an administrator shaped my work but it also both reflected and significantly reinforced some of my tendencies. It was time, and I wanted this, but I've also been conscious of how much it has prompted me to reflect on how work defines my identity, on what gives meaning to my work and my life, and on how I might let go of, shift, or even suppress some of my "leaderly" habits in this phase of my career and my life.

I met my current long-distance boyfriend Joel. I was hesitant at first because I had been recently burned in a relationship and felt very vulnerable, but Joel was patient and stuck with me and now we've been together just over 8 months. I feel very grateful to have him in my life, and I love how he makes me feel about myself.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. I was so angry I couldn’t talk to my pro-life friend for some weeks. Although I can no longer have children, it makes me so angry. I felt like the Court and our government in general doesn’t care for the health and well-being of our country’s daughters, sisters, mothers. And that could extend to our grandmothers too. I am full of fear and anger about this ruling and Women’s rights in general. I did reconnect with my pro-life friend. As a minority in our circle, I realized she’s had to listen to every pro choice rant by all her friends and thus is struggling politically too.

We are reopening our lives after COVID isolation. It feels good to be able to go out to eat and shop and go different places and meeting. New freedom feels refreshing.

My termination for medical reasons (TFMR) was the most significant experience of the past year. Losing a baby is so difficult, so painful, so unfair. And yet the termination also left me feeling incredibly relieved, and unexpectedly grateful to still have access to abortion care. I never predicted I'd find myself ending my highly desired IVF pregnancy, much less having a TFMR just days after the leaked Roe v Wade decision. Though I only told a few close friends, the timing of the Supreme Court leak made my loss feel extremely public. This agonizing and extremely intimate "choice," which didn't feel like a choice at all, was suddenly being discussed on every channel, in every newspaper. It felt like everyone's eyes were upon me, cheering or jeering as I endured a version of hell they could never understand. I know that this experience will stay with me for the rest of my life, just like the memory of the baby I lost.

My breakup. Gut wrenching. Awful. Torrential. Horrific. I honestly don't think I'll be able to withstand another breakup. I'm totally defeated at this point and have withdrawn. I'm not in a place where I'm remotely interested in connecting with anyone new. It's so devastating because I feel like I'm back at square one. Just wanting my person and to start building my life. It was so challenging with Tom. I feel quite far from inspired right now though I'm hoping to look at this upcoming year with as much optimism as possible. I really hoping this upcoming year won't be as brutal as last year was.

There have been so many significant events this past year it's hard to pick one. Here are some standouts: Calling the show for the first time. Leaving the theater knowing I'd crossed one of those invisible lines in life, "now I've done that, and that will always be something I've done." I did not know for certain that I could do it, or even what it would be like. It was one of the more blind leaps of faith I've ever taken. It changed me. Certainly it added to my self-confidence. It deepened my understanding of myself, and of what it means to lead, and to perform, and to be a part of a show, and part of a team. It was like someone walked up and introduced themselves by saying, "Hello, I'm also you." What a surprise! I had no idea. Tristan asking my help with the selection process for the USAFA, calling me to tell me he had been selected, watching him have a similar experience to the one I described above after his multi-tasking test for pilot proficiency, getting to drop him off, interacting with him as he's been there, including just this week when he called to tell me he'd passed his space satellite exam and had a new badge. Proud doesn't even begin to describe it. It feels very tender and sacred to be a witness, a near participant -- this is the joy the wind feels when the birds soar through it. Helping Mattie get out of a lousy relationship. Celebrating with her as she enjoys a better one. She inspires me to remember how to be un-self-conscious. Hearing from Morgan that she feels she doesn't need me as much, that her life feels well in hand and stable, not that she loves me less but that she's good on her own legs -- another tenderness, a triumph tinged with sadness, and the need to remember that it was never them clinging to me that made the love. The love is the love, it's not there to serve a purpose, it endure purposelessness as well as it endure need. The slow accumulation of conversations, events, and actions that has led to me "becoming a dancer" again; words in February leading to more words in April, a nuts and bolts conversation in June and an offer in July, rehearsals in August, swing runs in September and now, it does appear, my first debut in October . . . I just wrote those wise words from Andre DeShields in my journal: the fastest way to get where you want to go is slowly. In rehearsal José said to me they're loving the word "yet." I haven't performed . . . yet. It still seems like tempting fate to speak it, closer it comes, I can feel the heat of its body and breath, it is my own body and breath but not right now . . . not . . . yet . . . Buying the house in NY! Giving my mother back the dignity of the home she deserves. Hearing that motive come from my husband. That opened up a door to a room full of love I did not know he had, it brought me up short to see the plain truth of it, how beautiful it is that he insisted she should have that, to the point that we've tied our own future to it. I stand in awe of what I do not know about the people who surround and compose my heart. I pledge to serve them well and am sobered by the vastness of that challenge. They are so deserving. Our movie room is so badass. I hope we get some quality time there this year. Sometimes I feel so lucky it feels like a violation, like I ought to be careful or something will burn me, notice I'm in the wrong line, turn off the light. Sometimes I stand in the dark backstage and feel so lost and alone and wasted, unseen. I am starting to glimpse what it likes to feel beautiful again. I would like to learn this feeling in a way that isn't connected to anything other than breath and earth.

It has been a challenging year. Three biopsies of skin cancer were performed on me a day before I was scheduled to complete a 14-day trip to Paris and Barcelona, in the Fall of 2021. It was bad timing, but after all the hassle of getting new passports, tickets, vaccines, and clearances, there was no way I wasn’t going. The travel was painful, and my partner was a saint for changing my bandages, disinfecting my wounds, helping me put on shoes, and waiting for me as I crept along the avenues. During this time I was unable to exercise, and fell out of shape. Then winter came, and I languished in my terrible job. In the spring of 2022, I got hired at a better job, and began exercising again in earnest. Then in March, I was broadsided in my car by a truck that’d ran a stop sign. My job was put on hold for two months while I recovered, and I fell out of shape again. Through everything my partner maintains a sense of humor, and a deep nurturing quality that humbles me. I owe so much of my recovery to her. I’m grateful to be alive and healthy.

Getting back from Europe trip, exhausted, post covid, feeling very disconnected from my wife. We had a huge blowup and for 2-3 days we had understanding that we were getting divorced. She was under a lot of stress. Both way outside our windows. I just waited and within a couple days we had resolved. But understanding was that I had to do work to resolve parenting stress with Hadley. It led to a period of time where I was contemplating my future life, without her, from a unique perspective. It made me appreciate my marriage to a large degree. But it also left me with a feeling that I'd be OK either way.

My father had a heart attack and subsequent heart surgery. He has been in the hospital for several weeks, and though things are looking better now, there have been many moments when we weren't sure if he was going to make it. We are still not sure what his recovery will ultimately look like. It has been an acute reminder that there is a finite amount of time that I have left with him, and I want to try to make the most of it. It is difficult to get into deep meaningful conversations with him, but I hope to get to know him as well as I can and for him to know me better, while he is still around.

I thought I met the man I was meant to be with. Dominik. It turned out he lied to me by saying we will end up together but he was never serious about me. He married his "ex-girlfriend in August 2022" even though back in July he still said she meant nothing to him. I carry strong feelings for him nd I am deeply hurt still. Wouldn't think anyne would hurt me so much just because they can.

My health became a problem rather than something to take for granted when I got covid and when I had trouble with my blood pressure. I’m determined not to be limited by it.

Decidí irme compartir mi vida con Ale. Estoy agradecida a él, pipe y Pismo. Ha hecho que trascienda uno de mis miedos

Remodeling of Sea Cove. I’m glad that I stood firm. It’s been a long process, but I’m glad that I have learned to make lots of decisions without too much concerns about being wrong, and about the cost. It meant a lot less stress, and more pleasure.

Returning to in person work. So far just on Tuesdays. I’m ambivalent. It’s nice to have a separate space but I feel much more comfortable at home. It’s anxiety provoking and taxing to go into the clinic.

There were two very significant experiences in the past year, they are kinda related. First I had my Beit Din and Mikvah on Shavuot 5782. Now I am officially Jewish and it makes me feel that I have finally found my spiritual home. Secondly I went to Yiddish Vokh for the first time and was fully accepted in the community both as a Yiddish speaker and a Jew. I am very grateful to my partner Benjamin for making me realize that I can be Jewish or maybe already was and of course this all is very inspiring

I did a sound bath this year and had wild visions. It spoke to my soul about how I need to give myself more self love.

I returned to paid employment for the first time in almost a decade. It reminded me of my value and contribution, and it was invigorating to work with folks of many different ages and experiences. Grateful? Not really. Relieved that it is done, resentful that the world of work has not materially improved since I left it, and happy that I was able to improve the work life of my peers by recommending improvements to their pay and benefits and seeing those implemented.

Starting college. I am very grateful for my opportunity and the chance to go to college but it has been super stressful and I’m not sure how satisfied I am.

My dad suffered a stroke this year and it changed who he is now. Definitely aged him. His stubbornness likely got him to 88 years old pretty independently and now requires care in a memory unit. It has changed the relationship we have together and that with my brother as we navigate the challenges of having older parents.

Memorial and spreading my husband’s ashes profoundly grateful for the beauty and peace of the location and for the love and support of my friends and family. Also Grateful for loving him and Sad for losing him

My brother and I stopped speaking this year. It came out of nowhere and I'm unsure why it even happened. We went from talking to each other just about every day or week to nothing. I became worried because he wasn't bothering to read my texts. I thought his phone was stolen or he was in danger. But I ended up texting my cousin Jason asking about the last time he spoke to him, and he sent me a screenshot of a recent text. I realized that he was blowing me off on purpose and for no reason. He didn't wish me Happy Birthday this year for the first time in I don't know how long. My daughter had back surgery and was in the hospital for about week and he didn't text to check on her or me. On the day she was supposed to be discharged it hit me how he's been MIA and I sent him a goodbye text. This was the second time he had gone MIA like this but this time I said there's no coming back from it. I'm finished. I don't deserve to be treated this way regardless of what's going on. I still feel pretty sad about it. It was nice talking to him. His birthday is next month and I'm unsure whether to send a card or just act like it doesn't matter. Being estranged from your family sucks.

I tried to transition. I took HRT for a year and watched my body and mind change. Ultimately I learned I am nonbinary, so I stopped treatment. I am grateful to have investigated the edges of my gender, and I will continue to be curious throughout my journey.

My whole work/life balance changed to the point I was losing myself. I had to get out of the situation. I took a new job at Robert Half, as a Full-Time Professional Employee. I am sitting here 3 weeks in and still don't have an assigned. Really hope that changes soon.

Receiving the Jekyll award. Bowled me over that my peers think so highly of me. In tears when reading letters of support. Never did the work to receive recognition but how nice to do so. And can't help thinking that Michael would have been so proud.

My sister moved to Florida. I am so happy to have family close by.

Common overshadows the personal this year for sure: war in Ukraine. This had shaken me and many others tremendously. "Again? War in Europe? Completely unprovoked? It cannot be!" Pure evil on the state level, and still supported by the majority of it's population. This makes us question the times, the human progress, the lessons we learned, the resolve not to repeat...

Last November my dad underwent a triple bypass heart surgery. It was very scary and hard to see my dad like that. I am a bit resentful of the doctors and scared for his health.

Loss. Not only the loss of loved ones but the loss of business, confidence, and friends. I can't say it negatively affected me because it was necessary, but it put me in a dark space for a couple of days. The great thing is that it didn't last, so I feel grateful that it happened and inspired me to keep on this track and in this space.

Altair took off this year. The groundwork has been laid and we have already spent $1000 in membership fees and $8,000 in Escrow. There has been a lot of stir this year. We've lost some significant members - disputations over Jonathan Gayle and the members. We've also committed to using Sociocracy for our meetings, but we aren't doing so. And the space we would have is half the size of our home on Stockton Square. The very positive is that Naomi and Martha could live upstairs in the duplex. We are on the fence, not resolved to join the community, but still seriously considering it. What ever we do, it is time to down size our possessions. Let's see where this goes as the new year progresses.

There were a few big events, but the most recent and most significant were my kids schooling related. My daughter just started a boarding school. It’s a trade school which should be getting her off towards her career and is giving her a sense of purpose even at her young age. My son, on the other hand did a surprising last minute u-turn and decided to take a gap year rather than starting at the university where he was accepted. I made the difficult choice to move him out of the apartment as he has not consulted me at all on this choice. The same day I had an interview for a job I would really like. If I am offered that job that will be the life changer for next year, and some sense that I did the right thing in pushing him out of the nest.

It’s either too hard to settle on just one, or there are many memorable events from last year, but none that strike me as the singular “significant” one. Seeing my great aunt Joy right before she died felt both seismic and small—yet another event that steels me to the world’s harshness. I suppose that’s the only way one can work through the snowballing of grief through the years of our lives and our eventual deaths (if we are un/lucky to have that awareness). Joy lived a long, good life. She was ready to go. But a part of me is as sad that I can’t feel as deeply and intensely in my grief as I get older as I am about her passing. And yet, plenty of less significant events provided plenty of counterweight. And maybe that’s the trick. You fill your days with enough little joys that you don’t need to seek out these singular earth-shattering benchmarks to take stock. Despite my frustration with so much right now, the final tally still ends up in the black. There’s something.

I found someone who seems like the love of my life. Someone whom i can share my feelings, thoughts, dreams and treats me just how i like. I'm grateful for that, and inspired to push full throttle next year.

I started therapy specializing in sex and relationships, and I've been able to contextualize a lot of the things I talk about routinely in therapy (depression, relationship issues, communication, authenticity) in terms of love, pleasure, and consent. I feel much healthier and closer to the person I ultimately want to be.

Dropping my son off at college was the biggest event to happen to me this year. It has been such a big change in my life. While I am proud of him, I feel so lost and anchorless. It has made me realize how much of my life was devoted to him and his needs, and how little I have been devoting to myself. I don't really know who I am!

Being told that my position was at an end. This raised so many questions, unknowns, and fears. It really made me think about my age and that I have less time in front of me than behind. I am all of those things and have found myself having a very hard time talking about them. I am hoping that this reflective period will get me past the resistance to sharing my feelings.

I lost my taste due to Covid. Because of this, my joy of cooking and creating is gone. This has made me very depressed because I express my love through cooking. I love to create through cooking. Eating with family and friends was a joy I looked forward to. Now I do not.

I got to know someone and developed feelings for them, and thought they liked me back - and then slowly had to confront that they didn’t, finally culminating in me asking them directly. It made me feel sad, but also sort of defeated - I have since deleted all dating apps and decided to take a break from intentional dating experiences.

My father's passing. And I am deeply grateful for how it happened. I was able to be near him, even if it was hard at times, and I got nervous, and frustrated, and occasionally angry. I am profoundly grateful that he waited for me to run back from school before leaving this world, and that I had the opportunity to tell him things, and to do things for him.

The Fourth of July shooting, in Highland Park. I’m… affected. Most significantly, it’s impacted really negatively my relationship with faith and belief in HaShem. Even today, as I davened, it all feels forced. As much as I’ve tried to understand and push past this immensely traumatic event for myself and my community, how do these things happen? Why? A seminar tried to teach me that the “why” isn’t my question to ask and to only ask “what now” (for myself) I don’t understand. The toddler who lost both his parents comes to mind every time anything “HaShem” is mentioned. I’m 5783, I hope to move past this, one way or the other.

I had a third baby. At first I felt regret and couldn’t connect. I felt like I was missing fun time with my other 2 girls. As he grew, we have connected and I love him so much. I now regret the lack of pictures and time spent with him during those first few months

My mother died. Mommie dearest died. I’m Sad to not have a mom Anymore but I’m honestly relieved to not have to report into her all the time. I feel free and less burdened not worrying about what she would want, need or think. I’m grateful. She gave me as good a life as she could. I have a blessed life with challenges but I’ve grown and continue to learn from the challenges I have.

I was thrilled to be back out touring with singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer. We had many great performances and some wonderful experiences around those performances. It was energizing, exhausting, inspiring and reaffirming to perform in front of those audiences around the country. The exhausting part confirmed that I may have a limited ability to continue to tour this way. But also, so rewarding to be in front of those audiences.

getting covid a lot ski injury so many weddings - dylans wedding especially moving in w sam scotland :( xmas season w my girlfriend mental health breakdown! I think the mental health breakdown was the most "significant" but also a lot happened this year! All at once! and it was realizing i COULD get thru it, i have good support systems an dall that, but also i'm not as young and resilient as i once was, or maybe more capable? i kept working thru it all, i moved in w my girlfriend, etc. stuff w sam has been significant too! going through a life together. Love has been significant, as has caring.

This past year has been significant on so many levels. Starting grad school, disastrous placements, meeting a new best friend, but I think the most significant event I experienced was getting my hysterectomy!! I’m so many ways it feels like nothing is new, nothing has changed. It feels like a reset back to what should have been my normative setting. To know I won’t get pregnant, ever…. is incredibly relieving. I feel more in touch with my body. I feel like I am embodying the non-binary boy I am and will be. And not getting my period anymore? Woof that is a huge joy and also something that I barely notice until looking back. I never should have had it. I could not have made a better decision for myself. I feel agitated to fight so that everyone has such bodily autonomy and control over their own choices.

I don't believe anything significant has happened to me in the past year. This new job is eating at me and most of the year has been been spent trying to keep my head above waters and not letting myself be consumed by it all. It has damaged my mental health in more ways than I can describe. I've actually developed an eating disorder from it. Or perhaps that is something significant that has happened?

I changed jobs and moved to another town. I’m grateful for the new chance to live my life differently.

The day that I realized that I didn’t have to move my family to be close to my parents. I didn’t owe them making myself miserable, taking a permanent pay cut, leaving my actual support system and friends, and I could chose my imperfect husband and our kids and move someplace that was easier for us. Even though that’s not what would be best for my parents, or the thing a dutiful daughter would do. And I felt and feel so much lighter.

May was my month.. First visiting Israel again. I am incredibly grateful to have been able to visit with my husband and have such a perfect tour all over the country and to finish with a Hollywood style Indian wedding in Bodrum was icing on the cake. Once in a lifetime trip. Second watching my daughter graduate and become a doctor. I couldn't be more proud. But on a sad note, my parents ended their independent phase. Moving into an assisted living, no longer living in their winter or summer house. This makes me sad as well as anxious because it will go downhill from here and I will be needed. I have taken the independence and long life of my parents for granted. All good things must end.

I opened up communications with my brother and sister and it makes me feel wonderful. I am relieved that it turned out so well and hopefully the bond with continue to grow stronger

Andy asked me to marry him and in a heartbeat I said yes. I was dizzy and giddy and thrilled that day and I still am. I fell in love with my best friend who I also fancy the pants off - what could be better. We moved to Hoxton, also wonderful. I'm really loving my life right now. I wish I had the energy to go out and do more, but for where I am now, I'm really happy with a healthy and balanced approach to fun, fuel, and friendships.

I caught covid at a work event at the end of April. I spent most of May horribly sick. My lungs took weeks to recover. I had acid reflux for months and still now there are things going on with my body that don't feel right. I'm angry that my work put me in that position, but I also regret not protecting myself better. I'm angry that the world seems so desperate to move on and forget about covid, whereas I just want to be sure I don't go through it all again. Aside from that, the whole experience has made me want to take more of myself and my health. I'm inspired to walk more, to spend more time outside.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the reluctance of Americans to harbor the Ukrainian refugees is all too familiar. I'm appalled, disgusted, and fearful to recognize that there is still so much xenophobia here. Antisemitism is also alive and well here, and more overt than ever. I'm angry and afraid.

This year, mom was finally diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The diagnosis was no surprise to any of us. I went back to the house in June to start getting the house ready to sell. I didn't realize how paranoid she'd become. There were so many things that she'd hidden so that dad couldn't find them, even though he'd moved out 8 months earlier. She hoarded all kinds of things. We got rid of at least 15 pairs of shoes, then my uncle find a second stash with at least 20 more pairs. I found three tubs of Beanie Babies under the bed upstairs. Seeing the for sale sign in front of the house hurt, but not as much as I thought it would. Getting the email notification from Zillow that the house was for sale made it a little more real somehow. We got in a screaming match before I left. I'd said goodbye and thank you to the house. I made my peace with it not being "home" anymore. I feel really disappointed with how the exit went, but when mom told me that she hoped I get Alzheimer's, I had to leave. It seems somehow suiting to have had one final blowup in the structure. It gave me some closure that I didn't know I needed.

My conversion to Judaism was finalized this past year. It affected me on a really deep level, given it was something that I had been waiting for some time to accomplish. I was overwhelmed with joy that it legit brought me to tears. I feel relieved that after so many years of knowing and feeling that the path I was on had finally become a reality via the conversion process.

(Oops, sorry I did not answer the questions last year!) I started a new job in Feb 2021. My first real “office” job. At first it was extremely challenging, adjusting to a fixed schedule, becoming disciplined to arrive on time, and focus during work hours, and respect the work hierarchy. At first, the job really broke me, and I cried almost every night. However, I was immensely successful. I shattered metrics for the position I was in, and quickly rose to the top and received a promotion in Aug 2021, which was my goal, where I again was the leader of the pack and consistently held “top biller” status. The job gave me an opportunity to thrive, feel successful, become financially stable and independent, buy a car (!!!), feel respected and appreciated by my colleagues and supervisors, develop a good work ethic, and overcome years of persistent self doubt and lack of confidence that I could not succeed and support myself without a college degree. I made amazing friends in the workplace, and I developed a great skill set that I know make me an asset to other companies. Even after choosing to leave the job three weeks ago, I know I will retain the friendships I have gained there for life, and the skillset I gained there helped me secure a job offer for a new position that I will be starting after the holidays, for an even better company (with greater earning potential) and a healthier work culture. I feel grateful for all that I gained in this job, for the friendships and knowledge, and most importantly for the self-confidence that I can succeed. I also felt immense relief to leave a work environment that was toxic, and gratitude at the self assurance that I would be okay and be able to find a new job. I feel inspired to continue to succeed, to grow and learn new skills and specialties, and inspired to strive to rise to the top again in a new environment.

I worked in a covid vaccine clinic for several months. It was an easy and boring job in some ways because of there not being that many people some of the time, but I loved the nurse friendships and I liked being on the side of science and right, the feeling of helping to win against the virus and the misinformation.

I found 5Rhythms! It has given me renewed hope for the future and a depth to my creative pursuits.

My band (a nine-year old act that has released music on two record labels) had to change its name because we were served a cease and desist letter by another musician who holds a registered trademark on our former name. It was an exhausting and very time-consuming process leading to lost wages and a five-month pause on my band's release of any new salable product. Our audience has been supportive and sympathetic, and I appreciate their unanimous sentiment that the trademark holder's actions were unnecessarily harsh and inconsistent with normal band protocol. I have a particular amount of anger about all of this, which I cannot fully express publicly because it's a legal matter (and that in turn inspires additional anger and resentment). However, seeing how my own band's recorded output, gigging history, and listening audience buries that of the trademark holder -- it's not even competitive -- I've reaffirmed my attitude that I am a real artist, I always have been, and nothing will change that.

It's a little more than a year now, but it eclipses everything else -- Ryn's death fills every day. I lived 40-some years of my life without them and didn't know, and now I've lived a year without them and it's unfathomable, exhausting, lonely in a way I didn't know existed. I think about them all the time, I see them in everything; every time there's something new and beautiful in the world it hurts a little bit because they aren't part of it. This morning I remembered something they wrote back in 2018 "you're here, so be here", and god it's so hard to just keep being here.

I met someone, a man, to go out with. For the first time in decades, I am infatuated. I am grateful, anxious, and sometimes resentful, because it's too early to know whether this might be a serious relationship. (Resentful at times because worry that's he toying with my emotions). On the other hand, having sex was FANTASTIC, even if a bit frustrating. Even less than perfect sex is better than no sex. I am like a person who didn't even know she was thirsty until offered some water to drink. Another, major event, occurred today (9/26/22) - I found out I do not have glaucoma. I am so relieved!

My company was sold *again*, and we were instructed to return to the office, even in the midst of a new surge. We are also dealing with a new office arrangement, which is known as "hotelling" or using a "hot desk" system, whereby no one except VPs are assigned a permanent office. Everyone else must use an app to sign in and reserve a desk for the day they come to work. If you have personal belongings, such as a purse, you have to also reserve a locker that is controlled by the app as well. And the wi-fi hasn't been consistent, so if your phone doesn't work, you can't get your personal belongings into and out of the locker (it controls the locking/unlocking mechanism). I have tried to be patient and accepting of change. But I cannot accept this with grace. I feel entirely disrespected and unappreciated by our parent company. This makes all of the workers feel disposable and unvalued. It's extremely disappointing and demoralizing.

I think the most significant experience for me has been something that I am still going through, my TMS treatment. I am trying to be grateful to not be depressed, but it is hard because I find myself resentful of the lack of progress elsewhere. It's atrocious challenging to have emotional energy and no physical energy to back it up.

My Uncle Rick died. It broke my heart for me and everyone that loved him. I’m grateful for his life and the kindness he always showed me but I miss him. Sometimes I just think he’s still just in Colorado. I always thought he’d be there for me when my dad goes and now knowing he won’t makes that even scarier.

Diagnosed with endometriosis, which explains why I haven't gotten knocked up. Relieved and resentful both! Especially finding this out literally the same week after our country stopped recognizing women as citizens who can make their own health care decisions.

We finally have a house that we are working towards owning!! I am so grateful and also very scared. But both of those are also inspiring me to keep working hard at my job.

My health (feet) improved enough for me to be able to resume a more normal life, for which I am extremely grateful. We know it but we forget, without your health you have very little.

Welp, where do I start. There's too many! Last year was intense. Way more than I imagined and harder than 2020 and 2021 combined. My oldest had a really hard time in school. It was a combination of anxiety and boredom and it really wreaked havoc. My long time coworker passed away in January. Such a loss. My brother passed away on Valentine's Day. This was a huge shock and led to a really intense few months which brought me, my mom, and aunt to our original home state to meet my niece and nephew for the first time. Decades of set aside family drama and trauma rose to the surface in a big way. Two different bouts of covid in our household in late Spring. This summer my oldest was still facing anxiety and that affected our lives greatly. But, with all that said, I started therapy and I feel like I'm rebuilding myself in many ways. I am inspired by the fact that me and my family were able to get through all of this and somehow positively move forward. This new year feels like a breath of fresh air.

An old friend suddenly died. He was practically family, but over the past five years or so we had grown apart. I feel like part of myself is missing. I feel devastated. I feel foolish - time wasted, some of it wasted because I thought he didn't want to be friends anymore. He had been going through stuff over the past couple of years and I didn't know. I feel like a sham because I wasn't there for him, I didn't know what was on his mind or his heart at the end. We were so close for so long, and I dropped the ball on him. He deserved better. Everything reminds me of him, good and bad. Musicals we loved together, friends he never met but would have gotten along with swimmingly, holidays, books...

I finished my degree. It feels hard to even know or describe what that actually meant, after so many years and so many larger life events occuring. Finishing it was a chore and barely a pleasure by the end. I'm certainly relieved that I got the grade and delighted to have gained a job. I'm grateful for the experience of being a student and having that never ending freedom to enjoy and participate in life without limits of time or responsibility. But I wish that it had not cost me so much, in money or health, and that it had inspired me in the way university should. It just happened, and now it is over and my main memories won't be academic, but will be of the more important things I did with the time I had around academia.

My fiancée’s folks moved into our town, and I helped facilitate it. I’m grateful to God for the savvy He has given me to accomplish it and the acumen to acclimate them to the culture and get them plugged in at the community center and at church…and the capacity to navigate the negotiation of boundaries moving forward. It truly is a dream come true, integrating our families as one…

Roe fell. I had the SCOTUS website up on my office computer. Frantically refreshing like I had been for weeks. But I wasn't sitting there when it happened; I had just finished counseling a patient. I got a text. I don't remember what it said. Something like, fuck, they did it. I ran to my desk. Refreshed. Read the first page of the opinion and couldn't go on, even though the leak had prepared me. Walked around the clinic in a daze. Hugged coworkers. Tried to reassure patients. Answered the phones. I didn't cry about it until weeks later. I wanted to and I couldn't. I knew and know, in the moment, that this was terrible and historic. It's traumatic. I knew and know that doing abortion work in this moment is exactly where I want to be; it is also incredibly exhausting and I am so burnt out. I feel determined. I feel angry. I am also questioning how long I can continue to do this work. I have a deep amount of admiration for my comrades--here at this clinic and across the country--who have worked through this, many of them with harder jobs and in worse conditions than I have. I am grateful that through this experience I got to connect with others doing the work. I built a network online. I got to write about what was happening. I got to speak publicly at labor and repro events. I have some imposter syndrome because of that. I hope that I can heal and also maintain the drive that this gave me. People from work came to my house after work on Dobbs day. I was with them when we found out the injunction on the six-week ban was dissolved. We drank. Cried. Someone got a tattoo in my dining room. I think we had a lot of feelings...devastation, uselessness, isolation, fear, bitterness. At least we got to be together.

Witnessed a traumatic patient death. To be fair, I was/am somewhat resentful. It was preventable. She was young. My age. I was told by management that *I* did everything "right" during the code, but I still am somewhat wracked with guilt. I think about her family a lot still.

My marriage ended. The experience has changed me completely. I am grateful. I am relieved. I am resentful. I am inspired.

My husband died just before Christmas. I am devastated. We were getting over a rough patch and becoming closer. He was ill, and declining, but we had no idea it would be so soon. He was on the roof hanging Christmas lights the day before we went to the hospital. The last time I heard his voice was on my birthday. And he was gone less that 2 weeks later. I am grateful that I did the right things - all the kids came before he passed. A priest visited and gave him last rites. Neither one of us got the damn clot shot, either. He had too much going on, and my fake card worked like a champ. What a damn fraud and hoax. I was there every day, but I wish I had spoken to him more, in case he could hear me. His family has been so amazing and supportive. Our friends have been absolute godsends. My son and his girlfriend couldn't find anywhere affordable - maybe so I wouldn't be alone in my house now. I am definitely closer to God now, for which I am grateful, but I miss my husband so very much.

On a personal level, my decision to buy a flat in Brighton as I don’t like living in my current home. I’m happy about the decision both as I have a project and a potential new home. On a larger level, the death of QE II is a major shift in the UK and in the world.

We were able to get my two grandchildren an inter-district transfer to the school across the street from us. To do this, we had to sign an affidavit that we are their childcare providers, as that is one of the very few if not only reason applications are accepted. We know some people lie and do not follow through, but we were determined to make it so. We pick up the kids every afternoon and spend about 1.5 hours doing homework with them and trying to work in a little fun time before they go home. I am grateful and relieved the transfer was approved, because they moved from a bad district and school into our well-regarded district and school. I also enjoy that special bonding of daily contact. A downside is that it seemed easy enough on paper, but in reality it can be very restricting to have every weekday dictated by the school schedule, particularly when the hours changed this year to have them dismissed earlier, at 2:20. It really cuts into my ability to do other things because as a rule, I need to be home in time to collect them from school. Ideally both of us need to be present, one for each child; but with two of us, one can cover it for the short term if the other needs to be elsewhere for an appointment or even a bit of time away. I focus on the ways it is beneficial for everyone involved and try not to dwell too much on the downside of the commitment.

This past year, I turned 25. I don't think the event itself was so significant as it is that my brain is reaching complete maturity and like most 25-year olds, I learned a lot about myself in the last year. I got in a major fight with my roommate, who I thought was a close friend, and I've spent my first year in DC. I've transitioned in therapy from focusing on anxiety and depression to intergenerational trauma. If anything, 25 and this past year have been a year of me learning new things about my relationships with people, how I approach them, boundaries, and the types of relationships that I want. It's been a year of learning and internal growth.

Dad's death has brought me into a new place of authority and responsibility in the family.

Having my daughter Madison. Completely grateful

My mother died. It liberated me. I am grateful mixed with a deep sadness. I had a great deal of resentment but have been working to let that go. What inspired me about her death was her surrender and trust in her spiritual life as she died. She was not afraid and this was a tremendous gift to me.

Like last year, this is a recent experience: This past weekend, our friend Wojtek visited us. We ate tteokbokki and shared beers and talked about what kind of children we were. Then, he went to the bathroom and we went to the bedroom and it all came together in our first attempt at creating life, in all its awkwardness and beauty. It feels audacious, exciting, like strapping into a rollercoaster where you can't see the track ahead. I can't wait to find out what comes next.

A significant experience that has happened to me this year is the transition from barely surviving motherhood to starting to enjoy it more. It has taken quite some time to be able to say that but I am feeling so grateful for my time with my sweet baby. Am I tired, yes? But my heart is so full watching him become his own little person.

My divorce was finally complete, more than two full years after I initiated it. I didn't feel the elation or freedom or even relief I expected when it was finally done, in part because emotionally I was so done for so long, and in part because of the sting of the spousal support payments and needing to continue to deal with my ex regarding the girls. But I did experience an unexpected mental level up - like the ceilings in my mind were lifted two extra feet, and I suddenly had the mental capacity and creativity for so much more. I didn't realize how much space the divorce was taking up in my brain every waking moment, and its absence brought me so much capacity.

The birth of my baby boy, Stellan. I was so excited to begin the mothering experience again, this time with resources, support, love and proper planning. This was by far the best experience I’ve had to date - it was also the one that stretched me the most…I felt all of the things, emotions, grief, sadness, pure joy and everything in between. And I had complete control of what I wanted my main focus to be throughout the processi. Now that he’s here and I can hold him, I know it was all worth it. I can’t believe I made and nurtured this in my body for 9 months. I am so grateful and honored to be able to love this deeply again.

I had spinal surgery in July. I kind of was in denial until it actually happened. I didn’t know what to expect and it actually wasn’t that bad. I was able to be up and about the next day. I actually like my brace and still use it when my back hurts. I realized how much I am dependent on ME to care for myself. Scott really doesn’t have that investment. Neither did Anthony to be honest. Evan helped me but a week later I was sick as a dog. I threw up constantly and slept a LOT. I still get really tired and I’m not sure if it’s the surgery, the TBI or what. I am grateful to have the condition taken care of. I didn’t have spinal fluid moving up or down from one point. I had three vertebrae removed and a cage put in. I thought the headaches were gone but they’re not. I threw up the other night and instantly got a headache like I really have never experienced. For once Scott actually helped me and brought me my headache pills while I tried to calm down. It was intense. So, I think I’m weaker than I was and I don’t have the endurance I had before. I don’t have the patience I did before. And, of course, the crap from a TBI which can be New and different on any given day. But I don’t feel defeated. I continue to feel guilt over every decision I ever made. I still cry. But as far as my health is concerned I’m actually hopeful I’ll be like I am forever.

Earlier this year, I lost my closest friends. Even though they claimed to be tolerant, they would consistently make depraved jokes at the expense of my faith, my Lord, and me. When I repeatedly asked them to stop, I was told that I was "censoring" them; when I expressed my own beliefs, I was "forcing my religion down their throats." Because of this, I decided that it would be best for us to part ways. The whole saga has been difficult, but I believe it was necessary. These people didn't make me a better person. The Lord should be at the center of my life, and the people that I was friends with didn't reflect that. I have come to a point where I know I am better off without them. Furthermore, I'm realizing now that that behavior wasn't new; they'd consistently disrespected God in all the time I had known them and never respected my feelings and faith. In a very real way, I'm relieved that I no longer have them around to drag me down. There is definitely disappointment. I thought they were my friends. I though that they cared about and respected me. It's been hard to realize that they only respected a version of me that they'd created that was more palatable to them. And, there were so many good times with them that feel tainted in hindsight. I look back on our time together and it's become bittersweet. This experience has taught me several things, that I hope I learn and internalize more deeply in the coming year. 1. Truth exists. The Lord is God. Living that out is not easy, but when you do, He will remain faithful. He always keeps His promises. 2. He is there when you fall; when people treat you with disrespect, He is there no matter what. When everyone else has abandoned you, and you are left alone, He is still there. 3. Boundaries, now matter how big or small, are important. Enforcing them can be difficult but it is worth it in the end. 4. Righteousness leads to happiness, not the other way around. 5. He is the vine and we are the branches; when He prunes the withered parts of us, we grow back newer and healthier. When hardships come, we remind ourselves that all are sent by Him for a purpose.

I guess it's when Steve B. died. How he died; and so unexpected. That woke me up. to my own 'putting things off' that i'd like to have taken care of by the time i'm 'outa here.'

Had open heart surgery for a bicuspid aortic heart valve replacement. The months leading up to the surgery were harder than it's been after, but I'm still really tired all the time as I got so out of shape. I'm grateful for having the surgery (50% of dying within 2 years was the other option), and relieved it went well. It's still hard though, and I have to keep pushing through.

Graduation - I was so thankful that my mom was able to come visit and was more excited about spending time with her than participating in the ceremony. I am so thankful we got the time together to explore Denver while she had a lot of energy in between chemo meds. She kept reminding me to be proud of my work and dedication over the last two years of grad school, and to honor how big of an accomplishment it was, which I had a hard time doing - it just felt like a fact of life for me.

My son was diagnosed with lung cancer and has required surgery and chemo . I am proud of his strength and determination to come through this as a survivor, but as a mom my heart aches.

I met a soul partner from a previous life through social media. Our encounter, first online and then offline showed me how I want to feel in a relationship and how a soul partner can make me feel in my body. How that person can inspire me and lift me up, how he can bring out the best in me. How I can feel completed, fully present and seen, valued and loved. For me it was a fantastic experience because it resolved some past life issues that interfered in this life and I also learned how to feel as a sacred woman and godess! I am very greatful for this experience and it opened my heart and soul for deeper feelings and trust and to be able to receive unconditional love and to give unconditional love.

I moved in with my partner this year. She's the first romantic interest I've ever lived with. Its been such an enriching experience. I'm learning a lot about myself and being forced to reckon with aspects of my personality in a brutally honest way. She does so much to enrich my life. In this moment I'm struck with the way that she has been a mirror for me - forcing me to look at myself in this new honest way.

I was able to fulfill my dream of traveling around Europe. This was a trip that was years in the making. Although I wasn't working at the time, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am very grateful and realize that it was something very special. It gave me a new sense of the world and I definitely would like to go back at some point

I have become a realtor. I'm so excited. This was a goal and here I am!! God is good. I'm grateful and inspired to continue growing and CLOSING!! Let's get it!!

I began to change my vocational aspirations as a result of three years of unemployment and now am pursuing my most valued gifts, although the financial aspects are uneven. I am hopeful this will improve, and am spiritually more fulfilled.

A significant experience that happened in the past year is Shayna’s graduation from Wesleyan and the start of rabbinic school. So proud of her and all she’s accomplished. I am grateful that we could be there for this milestone and have her close by on the same coast. I’m inspired by her every day. She puts goodness out into the world and I’m blessed to be her Ima.

Sooo much!! My brother died of COVID19 and now my mother has cancer. I am furious, sad and I think somewhat broken. I have learnt a lot, but it has been a very painful process.

My daughter's increasing defiance and refusal to go to school. Today she kicked and slapped me. I feel so ineffectual and completely useless, nothing is working, despite everyone telling me I am doing the right things. Does it matter if it doesn't work? I hate being her mother and really dislike her behaviour. I regret everything.

Relapse,Issac’s death,Therapy, Grateful,relieved,crushed,inspired,learning how to live and set boundaries. Becoming honest with myself and others.

An off handed comment lead me to do something I'd never really done before. I committed to teaching mahjong at a senior's center. It was not only more fun than I would have imagined, but the positive responses blew me away time and time again. There's no way to quantify the boost it gave me to see my value as something other than the mom or wife who's always there for her family, or the friend who's (nearly) always there for others. I'm extremely grateful for what it's done for me and the ideas it's sparked, especially since it's pretty much the only constructive thing I've done for myself this year.

I was laid off from my job earlier this year. I had seen it coming for several months. I'm not resentful, because I knew it was coming. I was prepared in that I had been saving for this possibility for many years, but I was also not prepared in that I wish I had started actively looking for my next opportunity the moment I became aware that this layoff was a real possibility. The impact of losing my full-time source of income has been strongly felt. I never expected that more than 6 months later, after dozens and dozens of interviews, I would still be unemployed. I find myself straddling the line between these moments of accepting that I am exactly where I need to be and having faith that I'll land in the right place at the right time, and then feeling fearful and full of self doubt, as if there must be something wrong with me. I've been doing my best to live in the place of gratefulness and acceptance in the present moment. When I find myself swirling in the self doubt, I try to accept those feelings and then let them go. Meditation has been hugely beneficial in this regard. But it's definitely a dance. I often feel I'm walking on a tightrope.

I worked on a disaster team that changed my life in a good way. I helped my friends move from Cal to NC, my brothers dementia got worse, I moved to place worse than where I was and I felt the presence of God more than ever!

i got a new oncologist. He is good. He is A Christian Arab from nearby. He is good. I have never met anyone like him. Which is not because he is unique - it's just that I have never met the others. Same for him I imagine. This means that sometimes our communication is perfect and free and sometimes we just do not connect. So there is uncertainty and instability. But he Makes the Effort - in general and FOR ME. I like his thinking and decision-making process

We left China in July, unexpectedly. The moment that the plane took off over Xiamen, I felt relief and freedom. And also I'm not afraid of flying anymore! It was amazing that I could just sit on the flight and not be afraid at all. After so long trapped in China by closed borders it was remarkably easy to leave. The weeks leading up to it were very very hard, but once we got out, things were so much easier than I could have even imagined. That said, I think we had incredible timing. This was the right time in the last two years to go. And we made it!

My dad passed away. He is at peace. But I miss him terribly. I am so thankful for all the people at Fort Snelling. I am super grateful for all the people who work at care centers nursing homes. Who gives such love to people in need. They are a good role models of what love is.

My dad died in November of 2021. It was a long time coming, and I'm honestly not sure how I am grieving. I put all of my energy into school to finish 1L and put the idea of grieving into a box of "when" I was available to do it. I am sad that I don't have my dad anymore. But I didn't have him for a long time before that. Through high school he was difficult and my parents' divorce made him upset and irritable. Who knows if it was the dementia or the relentlessness of how poorly their marriage was going. In college after the divorce he seemed lost for a little while, but he played it off well. Most of our conversations were me asking for money, reminding him that we had made a deal for how much support he could provide and he kept forgetting. The worst was always my birthday. For years he paid a singing telegram to wish me a happy birthday. It was clear that he set it up so he wouldn't forget to celebrate and wish me a happy birthday. It was a sweet sentiment, but still hurt that he didn't know when he was supposed to wish me a happy birthday. So I came to hate my birthday. And though friends know this, I am still disappointed year after year. So this year when my birthday came and went, I was especially sad that my dad wasn't around to forget it. Nearly 11 months later, I don't know if I have properly grieved. Maybe my moment will be at his unveiling over Thanksgiving weekend, when all the family is around. But until then, I am just left with an emptiness. Some days I feel like I've already "moved on," other days I know that moving on isn't possible, but I am moving through. People who know me know my dad died and people who don't know me would be surprised to find out based on my attitude and demeanor. I make jokes so that other people aren't uncomfortable. But they know I miss my dad. Although I hadn't had my dad for 10 years before. I was relieved when he first died because it meant that we could officially start grieving and stop worrying about him. We were all prepared for what was to come, but it obviously didn't make it any easier. And since his cousin, who had the same disease, died less than a year later, our family as a whole is ready to move into the next phase of our collective life of loving and missing and hoping for health and happiness together.

Although COVID-19 is still circulating, since around May or June this year, things have returned to normal. No more restrictions. No more face coverings. I'm also much more relaxed about it. One of the tipping points was actually that Fran caught it, a week before we were due to go to Wales on our annual holiday to celebrate my birthday, and then I got it (presumably from her). I was testing negative the whole time until the morning we were due to travel. We drifted in limbo for most of that week. But, eventually, when I'd passed the 5-day mark for self-isolation, we decided to drive to Wales to spend at least a few days with my brother, Richard, and his girlfriend, Zoe. I didn't hug them when we met and kept my distance for the first day or so, and then relaxed into it a bit more. Since then, it has been nice to return to normal: to be able to go out without having a face covering; to go into shops and restaurants without pausing to put on the face covering and desanitize my hands. The media also stopped covering it; the government stopped holding press conferences; the statistics agencies stopped tallying up infections and deaths. I wondered at the time if our then-prime minister, Boris Johnson, was rushing forward the end of restrictions to cause a distraction from the partygate scandal. Stories kept trickling out of the parties that were going on in 10 Downing Street during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, parties that the PM claimed he didn't know about or didn't attend or didn't realize were parties and not work events. What eventually ended his reign was another Tory MP groping two men at a private members' club. I've been much more engaged in the news this year - particularly during the first few weeks of the Tory leadership contest. I'm often intrigued by these moments of transition in public life; and then disappointed by their outcomes. But, yeah, I guess we're through the worst of the pandemic. It took 2+ years. Life hasn't returned to what it was before because I left my job. I'm freelance, working from home. Furlough during the first three months of the pandemic disrupted my habit of working, that I still haven't really got back. In some ways, I'm grateful for it because I'm earning enough to get by and only have to work 2-4 hours a day. Yes, I'm using some of my savings from time to time because I don't invoice regularly and I'm adjusting to new habits of putting money aside for tax and pension, still finding a system that works for me and keeps a comfortable cashflow. But I'm grateful that my family survived. Relieved that the fear has mostly gone. Now we're seeing the long-term effects that increased public spending and numerous lockdowns have had on the economy and the morale of the workforce. It feels like everything in the UK is breaking down. Because I'm reading the news more, I think it is affecting me a bit. People are worried about the cost of living, about higher energy prices, inflation around 9.9%; about a government that has decided to cut taxes that mostly benefit the rich. I think it might be time to take another break from the news and only get a trickle that comes through Fran and my occasional ventures on to social media. I've definitely broken my Facebook habit. I hardly ever go on there. I don't have the app on my phone. I also don't have Instagram and Twitter. Over the last few weeks (partly due to finding like-minded opinions over the death of the Queen), I've spent more time on Twitter, but only over the browser, not through the app. I don't want to lose too much time over that. I will try to read more instead. I have continued to read a lot and listen to audiobooks. I read (listened to) "The Communist Manifesto" this year. That, along with the striking unions, and reading books like "Culture and Imperialism", "Midnight's Children", and "The Moor's Last Sigh" have made me think a lot more about colonialism and the negative impact of the British empire and how unfair the capitalist system is. I've really enjoyed listening to Mick Lynch, the leader of the RMT union, talk simply and powerfully about fair pay and conditions. Enough is enough. Am I ready for revolution? If you read enough in the "Guardian" and on Twitter, it does make you realize how angry people are with the state of the world and the environment. I do wonder if there could be a mass uprising. Or maybe people could just vote the fuckers out. What Liz Truss is doing now is hopefully going to make it easier for Labour and the other progressive parties to campaign against them at the next general election. I've been daydreaming about moving further north, perhaps to Scotland, to escape the rising temperatures and get away from all these English people. Fran found the 40ºC heat this summer hard to cope with. I look around and wonder who is voting for the Tories. Are these the people I want to be living with? I think of all the twats I met through rugby, all the built-up resentment of my Scottishness against the arrogance of the English rugby team and their supporters. I hated all the obsequious public grieving that went on during the 10+ days of national mourning after the death of the Queen. It finally ended last Monday with her funeral. It was insane. I respect people's right to behave how they want, but I did wonder how much it was manipulated by the media - particularly the BBC, which I normally respect and admire. I avoided the blanket coverage. I want to form my own opinions, not be told how to feel. I'm also cynical about how the Queen just has the best PR. We only saw a very edited and mediated view of what she was like. As you can tell, I'm feeling a bit low and angry at the world at the moment. Perhaps it's just the return to autumn, darker days, a heartless government, too much Twitter and news, not enough sunlight. I can create my own little world with Fran and only consume things that make me feel better. But I think I always find this time of year difficult. That's why it's such a good time to sit down and reflect. But I do feel that familiar melancholy and ache of sadness that can't really be explained; a painful look back at who I used to be and who I am now. Don't worry. I'm sure I'll be fine. It's just a phase. This, too, shall pass.

I separated from my husband and bought a new house. I don't really know how I feel. Maybe all of the aforementioned possiblities - sometimes grateful and relieved that I've made this choice, sometimes angry and resentful that I feel cornered into it, inspired to have a different life experience. Mostly I feel prepared. Maybe resolute. This is just what I'm doing right now, despite and alongside the feelings.

I saw my name at the top of a list and realized that I'm successful. It's a weird feeling, a mix of pride and gratitude for all I have achieved, plus a nagging thought at the back of my head, that it won't last.

One of my best friends commited suicide in March this year. It wasn't a surprise, but still came as a shock. It sent me into a tailspin and coming on the back of a relationship break - up, it really shook me up. As I came out of the worst of the grief - I found that I was challenging my self - pity and lack of self - care and decided to make the most of my life. I wasn't afraid to end up in the same place as him (I've been there before) , but I recognised that I didn't have to struggle to stay here every day as he often did - so I decided to make the most of this gift of life.

Let's be real, COVID dominated everything in the past two years. Our household came down with it and luckily we were able to recover without major incident. More importantly, though, we were finally able to buy a house for which I am very grateful. I don't have buyer's remorse (but I do keep an eye out to see if we missed out on something better, even 6 months later). Definitely inspired to continue creating this space, this playground, this haven.

Sadness- loosing my pregnancy and battling infertility over and over.

Top surgery happened this year. Incredible. Still learning how to feel into this new body: learning where it is, how it moves and what it looks like. Trying to let go of the guilt of the financial cost. It feels like a new beginning in my body and thus my presence in the world. I'm grateful to the person who carried the burden of my breasts, and relieved to move forward without them.

I conceived a child! It is the dream of my life, so I am deeply grateful and excited, but there is definitely an undercurrent of worry and fear.

My aunt died. She was the favorite little sister of my mom (who died in 2012). I went to her “celebration of life” and saw my cousins mourning together in a beautiful, tender way. I don’t have any sisters, or any very close friends who are women. I have four brothers, closed-off emotionally in the way men of our generation often are. And my mom died after many years of some sort of senility-type robbing of her personality. By the time she died, I had already been missing her for a very long time. On top of that, during her later years, all she wanted was to get out of here, go home to God. So I never really mourned her death. Never really had that deep cry of flowing tears - until experiencing my cousins’ mourning. That tapped my sorrow and love and longing, finally. The night of the “celebration of life,” I thought about standing next to my mom’s bed as she literally let out her last breath, and I finally had that deep cry. Grateful. I feel grateful.

I mostly remember experiences close to today. So, I'll go with getting Bing Bong. This caused great distress. Why was I getting another dog? This was the question I was asking. Until out of some spark of grace the question became quiet and I just decided I was keeping Bing Bong. And all the worry floated away back to the place of worries and distress and it was no longer lodged in my chest, body, head. I am free from that worry now and instead have a sweet, energetic, loving puppy. I am grateful for him in my life. I felt utterly relieved after deciding. And I'm inspired to know that once I make a decision I make it work out, beautifully, rightfully, and wholly, and holy. I love Bing Bong and he brings joy, outside adventure, and activity to the crew.

I met a man who I feel is the love of my life. Everything just clicked. Every day more and more as we talk about stuff, solve problems and share a bit more of ourselves, I am feeling like I want to marry this one. That this might really just be the teammate I was looking for for so long. At the same time, I feel scared and a bit doubtful because it just seems too good to be true on some level. I sometimes get anxious and nervous about him not wanting the same thing that I do, but then I talk to him about it and somehow he has this way of just setting me at ease, even though arguably hes not a master communicator (yet, haha).

We got pregnant again and I had a medical abortion all while the reversal of Roe v Wade loomed in the too near distance. I am disappointed, sad, grateful, relieved, and angry.

I finished my first NYC Marathon. I was banged up and it did not go the way I hoped, but I fought through and completed the job. It reminded me of how deep my determination runs. And how good I can feel when I stretch myself.

I let go of having to seek approval from my father; I feel free but confused

I'm going ot have to go with my mother's hip operation - which has left me both relieved and resentful. I am glad she is getting better. I am still worried about their long term living arrangements and still having challenges with my relationship with my brother as a result of this.

My child came out as transgender. After 14. 5 years of raising a daughter named Talia, I now have a son named Aldwyn. It required recalibration, but I am glad that he feels happier and that we are able to help him reflect his authentic self.

I had my bathroom reno'd. Finding someone to do it was hard, having that person actually do it even remotely close to what I wanted was tough, and while it looks nice to others, I see the cost it took to make it happen. I'm SUPER glad it's done & am trying to focus on that.

I went on a date after so long. It was a nice experience but I got rejected after 2 dates. The guy was pretty conclusive and wanted to be friends. I'm grateful I got to try again after so long with someone who is pretty decent and a good conversationalist. I did have some doubts about this person while we were talking, and was actually slightly relieved he communicated his want to just be friends. Now respecting that boundary and hope he does too. After getting rejected, my ego was slightly offended, but overall a good thing to experience. I think I handled everything. pretty well and moving forward, I would like to protect my energy better and choose someone who chooses me.

I gave birth to my daugther. Most powerful expierence I have ever had. I felt powerful and humble and the same time, in love and endlessly grateful.

Two white women of power used methods to keep me down. I recognised that the power remains within me. There were so many ways that those with power attempted to diminish mine - potentially without realising that this is what they were doing. I rediscovered that I am good enough and actually, better. My worth to me and to others became a force that began to drive me again.

Moving back in with my son. It rocked my world and re-connected me to a past life as well as opening up a new one. It has been hectic, chaotic, happy, sad, exciting and frightening at the same time. In the round a thoroughly exhausting experience, but worth every moment to be able to support him through his journey.

One major experience that happened this year is my wife travelling to Qatar for short time official work. Few months before the trip nobody saw it coming. The trip turned out to be one of the biggest things that happened to us in the recent both financially and opportunity wise. It surprises me how things can change in a twinkle of an eye. It brought out so much hope and enthusiasm in me.

My partner needing surgery was a pretty big scare, but it resolved relatively quickly. Visiting my uncle, getting a break, and time to connect and help him was special. Pulling myself up and advocating fro my self and getting a raise and a promotion was amazing. Going to BRC for three weeks with my dear friend who Stage 4 was both brutal and wonderful... But if I'm honest the most significant experience in my life this year was neither epic, nor tragic... it was so banal; It was moving. A investment firm bought American Steel where our metal shop has been for over a decade. And in short order as we feared they might they evicted all the artists. It was the end of an era. For me for our community for west oakland. Just by time alone it was the most significant. literally occupying me from thanksgiving - when we learned of the sale until august when we "finished" the move to m0xy. Honestly we're still moving in, so it's still effecting me, we don't even have reliable power yet. It started with the fear of the sale. Then worry they'd evict us. Then horror of leaning they were evicting us. The unsettled feeling of not knowing where we'd land. if we could find a place. If we could afford any place we could find... the drudge of looking at places and trying to evaluate them and our potential futures there... then dread of the mountain things to sort, purge and pack... anxiety that other shop mates weren't taking it seriously -spoiler they weren't. That a few of us were going to have to do a heroic, bordering on dangerous amount of work - spoiler we were- that the stress of all this, and friction between us would blow up - it did - reaching the point of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion...and still having to push on, and push others. Making a million hard decisions. Yes it was mundane. The polar opposite of earth-shattering... But consumed me in the worst possible way. It was terrible. It was almost as bad as i feared it would be. I'm still angry and resentful of my shop mates who didn't do enough, and the ones who pushed me too far and too hard and of course i'm unhappy about the investment firm. Fear and Loathing the best words i can find There were a few good moments and good outcomes. I mean we did it. We have a space. And that was not at all a forgone conclusion. At the peak of my frustration with one partner we had a really productive talk. Unlike any we've had before. Also I got to know and trust two others much better. Even in retrospect if there was any way to avoid this i would have... but we couldn't, I couldn't And we did it.

Mindy moved out and left me single and alone and feeling a little foolish as I delivered my car to Tacoma for her to use, helped her get set up in her new place and took care of all the detritus and furniture she left behind. feeling a little resentful that she would not compensate me with even a ride to the airport or a good by hug. feeling relieved that I don't need to grapple with her childhood traumas any more. feeling grateful for all the lessons she shared with me. feeling inspired to be a better person from now on.

We moved to Norwich for 11 months. The girls were 2, Itay got permission to work remotely, so I could study creative writing at UEA. I still don't know the full extent of how it has/ will affect us but I'm so proud of us - how we handled the move, buying a car, moving to an unfurnished house, finding the house online (which turned out to be a great find, luckily) handling a completely new, foreign life and routine - how Itay and I are always a team. And now we have the girls to add to that team - they were amazing, adapting to nursery, just getting on with it, as Itay and I do. Not only getting on with it - they loved it. My family is amazing - I feel so grateful to have them all, and especially Itay, who upended his life and never complained once. Which young family even thinks to do that, and especially as harmoniously as we did? In terms of the experience itself, it was life changing. To be around 50 serious writers who breathed it and loved it and were as ambitious as me and were excellent writers, felt like a gift. I used everything I could get - every consultation with teachers, every writers event I was able to go to, every masterclass with visiting writers, to make the most of the experience. I think I threw myself into it almost more than anyone else on the programme because I knew it was so short lived, and soon I would be back in Israel again. It was amazing to be around my brother and Finn for a year and for the girls to build a relationship with them. Coming back hasn't been easy and has been confusing - in retrospect, it was a nuts things to do, moving your whole life for such a short time. Though I don't regret it for a moment.

Relocated to an amazing house in a beautiful coastal village, it’s been amazing. Have literally loved every minute. Also 6 months ago decided the time was right to have a dog, applied on a rescue site and was successful, now have the best dog in the world. I am very grateful for this past year it’s been kinder to me than many previous ones. I have never been happier.

I turned 70 years old. I think about it every day. It's old. Some days I feel old. Some days recently I feel really younger with a lot of energy. Of course I'm extremely grateful to be 70, healthy, happy, so close to my family and highly engaged with them. I have a father who is 92 and I wonder what it's like to have a daughter who is 70! I will soon have children who are 40... I think about dying a lot. Not in a morbid way, but from the perspective of what I will leave behind, how my grandchildren will remember me. I'm very interested in exploring new things that I've never done and/or always wanted to. The Pacifica Institute was too much money, but I have really enjoyed and grown from the seminars that I've taken there. What really has grabbed me, though, is making ceramics, something I never in my life did, but thought about for decades. I love to say that...

My best friend, Dave, died in January...this was a great personal loss for me. My love relationship was rekindled during the year, and then ended again in July which was also very sad for me, and the reasons remain unclear.

Joining JFNA's National Young Leadership Cabinet didn't immediately feel life-changing. But after our 5-day retreat, I felt energized and inspired and full of hope that our Jewish community was capable of handling the enormous, occasionally terror-inducing challenges ahead. More significantly, I felt like I found my people, after years of feeling adrift. I found a community of Jews who care about our Jewish future, who care about the communities they live in and the communities around them. Who knew that a better world is out there, if only we dreamed of it and worked towards it, together.

I turned 40 this year, which felt liberating. I feel that it’s finally time for me to do me, follow my intuition and my dreams and passions.

I took on a new job working for my old boss at Doma and also moved to Austin this year. Last year was about closing out RapportBoost and moving on from that experience, this year was supposed to be a rebuilding year where I got things back on track. Unfortunately, it didn't exactly work out that way since Doma's stock has tanked (along with my stock options), my product isn't getting traction, and dating in Austin has been challenging. I'll admit that it's left me frustrated and confused as to what I should be doing to make progress towards the goals I've set. I've really begun doubting my own decision-making abilities and don't have as much confidence in myself but I do think that hitting pause for some amount of time feels like the right move for me right now.

I got a new job, not thrilled over it, lost unlimited PTO and such but I do like the people and the potential. We'll see. Finally had the much delayed wedding, it was WONDERFUL I hope everyone had as grand a time as we did. Visited Alaska, glad to see it, don't need to see it again. I have now seen every US state. I ended up with COVID, from the Alaska honeymoon cruise, we had done so well for so long. Partner still avoided it (yay!). after avoiding it through hacker summer camp and everything. we got kittens! We got a bunny! a flemmish giant i have wanted one so very long - Jett & Knight = cats, Jack=rabbit I love them didn't work out quite how i planned - pepper passed (i put him down, something behind his eye), then jack needed a home, i wanted a baby but he needed us, so he was nearly 10 months and skittish and a rough upbringing. so not cuddly. also not a pair. got the kittens soon after and it took a bit but they all bonded, they drive one another crazy time to time but mostly get on well. they regularly destroy or ruin things, frustrating partner, who then fixes, but i love them. went to italy with my mom and franco and morgan and my partner and it was lovely, it was the wrong part of italy for canooli but we learned to make pasta and tiramisu and had great lattes every day it was wonderful i am grateful i got to see italy, have an amazing wedding, have seen all the us states My bee.net email went away, end of an era TDI hosted a virtual and in person event, i was so exhausted and busy i can't keep doing it we need more staff, one more year and if things don't get better i have to leave Someone i thought was a good person is actually abusive and money causes people to do things, that are unreasonable and unloving

I traveled to an out of town in-person conference in the industry that I have been specializing in. I was hopeful that it would lead to new opportunities, although those didn’t actually materialize. I was grateful to be able to attend and meet/network with other people, although disappointed that it didn’t yield the anticipated results. Overall, it enhanced my feelings of value, self-worth and professionalism - that I deserved to be there.

On January first I caught a child's virus that resulted in Bells Palsey. It scared the hell out of me and activated one of my greatest fears to be handicapped in some way. It has been a great struggle both mentally and physically. and am getting better but not complete yet and still have fear that I will not fully recover. Much has changed with this and am still in the process of re evaluating what i want to do in some areas of my life.

Trying to coordinate Mom's care and living circumstances with my siblings has been an exhausting test of my mindfulness skills--one in which I've performed middling at best. the infuriating inability to plan ahead and accommodate Mom's actual needs (as opposed to imagined needs that align w/ others' anxieties or convenience) has been my greatest source of tension w/ my sibs. And my efforts to be proactive and thoughtful about the emotional difficulties we all face and the resulting current and future strains on our relationships have only resulted in resentment when ignored. Coming through the other side of some big changes, though, has left me with an ever increasing thankfulness for every visit with Mom--which are always wonderful; a determination to ensure that those visits remain so; understanding that the priority is for me to do what I feel is right by her (rather than coordinating such action w/ sibs); and an acceptance that my relationship with my siblings simply is not great, although it's not horrible, and some distance between us is, frankly, much appreciated.

I started my profession in palliative care this past year. I was offered a position while I was on maternity leave as a nurse practitioner John muir. I learned that I loved the work— its been a good use of my experiences in critical care and acute care medicine, and also love doing the work I find most impactful and also rewarding. I like that I have so much time with patients and families and help them think through values of the patients and how to craft an experience for them that’s loving and caring and personalized. I also love so unique. It’s been my experience that spending time with patient’s families and explaining all of the diagnosis and testing and an unrushed way is help to build trust. The way this job transition has affected me is that I’m really grateful for it. I felt like this came to me and was grateful credibly because after Yogi was born I did not want to return to the grind in internal medicine. I pray to God that he keeps me in this field and makes me valuable to my team and patients.

The most significant experience that I had in the last year was the death of my brother suddenly. Having to tell my parents and witnessed their reaction as well as all of my siblings was one of the hardest things that I’ve ever had to endure. I am very glad that it was me that ended up being the one that told everyone. I am not relieved, but it is a huge burden to bear knowing that I cannot die prior to my parents. They have lost two children so far. No others can pass before them. It is a huge burden to stay well. The weight of life became a little heavier.

I'm not sure there was a significant experience this year. Not one. I just repeated last year with the same unmet goals (draw every day, tidy the house and Studio, earn more money take more time off, make a course, finish a project- joke book, aromagami etc) I put on weight, Russ is drinking more. I'm permanently angry and tired.

I graduated from college. It was really healing. It didn’t yet make a tremendous difference in my professional life but it was an accomplishment. I am sometimes regretful and resentful that it took me that long but I’m also really grateful for the life I’ve had

Over the last year we dealt with the onset of my daughter’s OCD. It has been hard but also inspiring to watch her fight this battle every day.

2022 has been WAY better than 2021 god DAMN. 27. Felt in flow in the bay, no deaths ugh, got into yale, met Uri, building a real-life and community out here, moved 2 times - 3rd is coming, started working at Peer Insight, got a new tattoo, so many joyous moments. just got back from Spirit rock. Grateful. So grateful.

I went back to school and started taking graduate classes. It was hard, frightening, exciting, inspiring, invigorating, exhausting, and so rewarding. To be making a choice just for myself again, to learn because I love to learn and because I hope to use this learning in service of others in a way I believe is important, has been such a great rebirth. It is also still scary because I haven't yet been accepted into a program- my application is due in a few weeks. But I am confronting impostor syndrome a little more every day, and that is good growth, and I am pushing past my fear and doing something new.

My dad dying. I am: Sad that I am not going to see him again. Relieved that he isn't going to suffer. Grateful that his doctors were good. Not resentful...much. I wish we had more good time together. Inspired to be in touch with people more, to have more intellectual practice

I was stranded roadside for 12 hours. It was probably one of the worst things that ever happened to me, yet 3 strangers helped me get through it. [My partner helped me too, just by making me feel safer by not being alone.] The strangers' offer of help made me realize that perhaps the world wasn't full of assholes after all.

I developed a vestibular disorder. It has upended life as I knew it. I never before though of myself as a sick person. I can barely get through my days at the moment. It is currently exacerbated by not being able to hike which had been saving me through all of this. I am incredibly lucky to have so many people who care about me. People who are driving me around, checking on me, and amazingly people who are trying to help me understand what’s going on and make decisions about my medical care. I am very much struggling with not liking myself in this. I want to be able to help other people and contribute with my family, friends, and professionally. I am struggling to minimally care for myself. The world is trying to tell me to do something differently and I can’t figure it out. I hope I’ll be able to hear it.

I met the love of my life. She came out of nowhere, and everything came so naturally. She has made me realize so many things to connect with differently to the world, my emotions, and my heart. I am extremely grateful everyday for her and always inspired by how bright a light she shines in every room and corner of the world.

I did it. I graduated with my Masters in Education. It changed who I am and how I see the world. It changed me for the better. I learned I can do hard things and I am able to be successful. I am smart enough. I am enough. I am grateful and relieved. I am a little resentful with myself that I didn’t focus on me mentally and physically more.

I got into medical school this past year. I was absolutely overwhelmed and relieved when I saw it. I did leave the interview just with something in my heart telling me that was it and then I just knew but to see it on paper really confirmed it for me. I couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t have been more grateful. I had been working so hard for so long for it and to see it come together was amazing. I felt like the confirmation that I was where I was supposed to be was there. I have loved every second of it here and I could haven’t been more grateful

This past year, I felt like I healed a lot. This isn't one particular thing, but starting with the haircut I got just before last Rosh Hashanah, I've felt more confident, comfortable with myself, and happier. I feel like I've finally healed from the more scared person I was because of Oona. I've mended my relationship with Papa, and I think we've come to some sort of mutual understanding. I'm glad to be better!

I joined the condo Board. It was the first time in my life I chose to do a passion project. My many other Boards were for business, but not this. My goal was to get $100 million+ of insurance (check), redo the restaurant (in progress), and get rid of GM. (1 year extension granted). Now I’m thinking of selling our house, requiring a lot of time to sell, getting a storeroom, work to ‘stage’). (P.S. it’ll NEVER get easier to do all this work, so knock off the whining!!) The trade off is we’ll get a less expensive unit, probably smaller (yikes!) and pay it off. I could then retire at any time. This would give me extraordinary freedom that I’ve always dreamed of. I can travel, sew, nap, etc. Live in another country for 6 months. Summer school in Oxford. All my life I’ve wanted freedom more than any other factor. This could be monumental. I’ve got jitters. Do I need something fancier and more elegant, or my freedom. I’m wavering, but I think it’s freedom all the way. My gosh, if this works, I’d have funds to spare - Freedom!!! As an aside, It’s been the most challenging year in decades. Working two jobs, as a lawyer and as a board Treasurer takes its toll. Anthony (CFO’s). Monthly email attacks on me are verbally abusive. I’ve been through this before 40 years ago with James and it’s brought a deep appreciation for Syd and a deep feeling of off balance and unsettled remembering being hit twice by James. Yet through wonderful support of my parents, Lynne and Barb, I could pack a suitcase and walk away. Check into a hotel. Get an apartment. I was lucky to escape and escape that life. Here I am again, and I’m unwilling to accept being abused, if only verbally. Today I was told to reach out to a therapist and to an attorney. That’s serious snd moving woukd get me away from this abuse and pain although it’s not the reason to move. Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

Covid finally started slowing down, and it allowed us to start living a more normal life once again. Although things are still not back to how they were pre-pandemic, it has been a great relief.

I think the most significant experience or series of experiences has been building a strong level of trust with my therapist and actually seeing that EMDR can and does work for me. I feel changed in ways that are very different than before with talk therapy or DBT. I feel like I am beginning to understand myself more and have more compassion for myself.

I resigned by position at SMMC on September 19 after 31 years of service. Each employee has their own set of rules, rules that change on a whim. We were being used as float pool and staffing for multiple units in the hodpital-ED, CVOP, IMCU. I am relieved that I will not have to endure another round of covid, so much death, more in 2 years than 36. I can and will finish my LNC course so I can work remotely and spend time either the newest member of my family.

grateful that I am working at 77

I finished the trauma grief and renewal course at Southwestern College and now am a certified grief counselor. I continue to co-facilitate a Grief Group online on Monday nights. I had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica with Melissa Pamela and Emma over Christmas and returned on New Year's Day. I am grateful that I can still complete major tasks - the most significant of which was moving to a new smaller (but larger in cubic feet) house on Rio Grande Blvd. I miss some of the old house but I am really in love with where I live now. I inspire me!

My nephew, Willy, called out of the blue. I thought it was a butt dial. But, he wanted to talk to me, to see if we could talk about our failed relationship. He did the talking about how I been to him. That got resolved but I still haven't told him how he let me down as well. We'll get to that one day. I'm very grateful to have him back in my life. He seems truly happy as well. I've been invited to their baby shower in Nov with Hannah's family in Maryland. I'm really happy, but also a bit on edge that this will blow up again. For now - I have a family again.

I just found out I am pregnant with Fredy Aragon’s baby. It’s life-changing and I’m not trying to put big expectations into it. I am grateful. I get to experience the process of being a mother, a teacher and a student. I’m relieved that I can get pregnant but now scarred and a bit apprehensive of “what now?” How is it all going to unfold?

Meeting my soul mate, and having more mental clarity about my past - understanding things/feelings I thought about every day that I have not been able to put a finger on. Both have made me feel as good as I could image I could ever feel

A significant event that happened this past year was my extended family all gathering together at the cabin. It was supposed to be just four of us, but that fact that others heard about it and all chose to join made me hopeful and confident that quality time is valued by everyone else, too.

My friend Elaine died of cancer this past spring. It's in the back of my mind almost every day. It was a huge blow at first. There were several days where I cried on the subway or walking home. I've never lost a friend like this before, and it's affected me in several ways. It's made me grateful for my health, more attentive to my health, and more patient with my body. It's also left me confused. Confused about how this could have happened and how to honor her. Lastly, it's made me want to connect with our shared friends. The people she brought together.

I was going to end my life in May. I decided not to go through with it. It turns out my hormones were unbalanced. Now that they're balanced, I feel amazing.

Changing jobs for the first time in more than 25 years. While I'm sorry for the people I left behind, it was time to go. I sleep better and I eat better and I'm doing worthwhile work for a new community. Looking forward to the next few years.

I reached the limit of what I have always considered boundless resilience. It happened gradually, over these past five years; some by 'acts of God' (fires, COVID, injuries), some outside of my control (employers, relationship break-up, bullying), and one that was an impetuous choice of my own (moving to rural Victoria - jury is still out on whether that was a wise choice at my age). I have always been strong, someone who is a go-to for support, solutions, strategies, and I have brought this every time. My saying is "You have the wisdom, I am the map". For others I am still strong - maybe too much so because I notice people edging away from my skills and confidence - but I am out of juice for myself. Who am I if I'm not helpful? I have so much to offer but no energy to deliver and nobody wants it, anyway. Mostly I am exhausted and demoralized. I want to run away, but have nowhere to go. Yet strangely enough, I am also fascinated. I guess I have my ego/ambition to contend with. 5783 is the reset year.

I was the trustee for my mother's trust this past year, which took a good amount of time, focus and work. I spent quite a bit of time in Oregon with my husband, cleaning out my mother's home and taking care of business.I also communicated a lot with my brother and sister, bringing about a closer connection than we have ever had. This was meaningful, worthwhile and important work - spiritually touching in a way.

Having my daughter. I am so so grateful. Learning family secrets. It’s interesting, daunting, and I feel skeptical. Drawing lines in the sand with toxic behavior. It’s hard. Painful & world changing. I came home to be the mother for my family. I’m excited & nervous & grateful.

I did not get a job I thought I would get - and only learned I was not their choice after a multi-month process. I still am deeply disappointed about it, but I also am pretty sure, based on the application process , that ultimately the organization itself would not have been the right fit. I am trying hard not to be resentful. I am trying to use this experience to spur me to continue searching to find a job that is the right fit for me and for the organization.

I wish I could focus on something positive, but the truth is the past year has been a nightmare. I suppose if I had to pick one event, it would be learning last month that I failed Step 2. Reading my answer from last year is really painful now, seeing how I thought the worst was behind me with Step 1 out of the way, and my positive outlook for the future. Truly I am, currently, at my lowest point in med school so far. Failing Step 2 has really put me at a disadvantage for applications, but more importantly, it has shaken me. I don't know how I'm going to feel ready to retake it, and honestly I don't know how this is going to affect my future so I can't really just let it roll off of me. My confidence is shot. I've been alternating between crying and numbness. I've never been this bad before. I will undoubtedly lose interviews because of this. Will it mean I won't match at all? That I have to graduate late? I guess that all depends on how well I use my time in the next two weeks before I take the test again. Hopefully when I read this next year, I will have matched to a program I like, I will be settling in with my intern class, and I will be able to say things like, "I failed XYZ and still made it, so you can too" to people. But I really, honestly don't know if that will be true. And that's terrifying.

I have been very active at our newly merged synagogue, Am Tikvah, on the board, co-chairing the name committee, and on the rabbi search, tikkun olam, and preserving our history committees. I have just been honored to talk briefly about my path to and in Judaism and our shul on erev Yom Kippur.

My employer attempted to fire me over what they perceived to be serious disloyalty on my part. The whole thing ended with a formal warning, and I'm honestly not sure whether they are planning on taking steps to get rid of me or not. It showed to me the importance of my union work, and that I have to continue my vigilance in meeting my employer. It also showed just how well my union has my back.

Going on a boat around the island if capri. It was relaxing majestic and I loved being with fun adventurous people and exploring the water and caves

I started my first semester of my MFA, and my life hasn't been the same since, in the best of ways. I've found more than just a program that supports me as writer; I've found a community of colleagues and friends who I'm delighted to have in my life. I've grown so much, as a writer. I've gained confidence, and clarity, and I've been having so much fun along the way. This is the best decision I've ever made. I'm in the middle of my second semester, and I can't believe by this time next year I'll be preparing to graduate.

I left my job of 13 years and possibly also my career of 25 years. I’m relieved, because I needed to make the change. I’m also scared to take some new risks, but hoping to find my way to inspiration. I hope to move from a working life that was focused entirely on the needs of others into a new, interiorly driven work/play life that comes from my own dreams and imagination.

I had to change internet providers and this was not acceptable to my employers. So they said I had to go to the Center which was an hour away each way from Current home. 80+ miles round trip a day. Plus it was miserable there. I was stressed and then my husband and 1 of my daughters got COVID, so I had to use all my available sick days and some vaca days. Then I got COVID and they made me use the rest of my vacation days for the year. I interviewed and applied to job after job. Then I finally got a job here in town more money then before and doing something meaningful again. I start tomorrow back into mental health family case management. I was and am hopeful I will enjoy being back into this field. I am stressed about the money now but am feeling it will get better. I was sooo stressed about this and very resentful for a while I wasn’t getting the support I needed from my husband. But….o am grateful that I finally am making a positive change

Shortly after 10Q concluded last year I was offered a position at TodayTix. It came with a significant raise and a complete change of pace. Reading my answers from last year I could remember vividly the struggles I faced with money and coming to terms with having to leave a job I liked because it was holding me back. I am incredibly lucky to have found an opportunity that aligns with both my interest in Broadway and the skills I’ve gained over the last 8 years of working in the performing arts industry. I’ve taken little pieces from every place that gave this chubby girl a chance and a few bucks, and I’ve turned them into one sturdy and eclectic quilt of experience. I am starting to see myself, like really recognize myself. I feel like “Kara Kirby” is taking her truest form. She is powerful, she is confident, she is comfortable. I am so proud of her.

I’m finding it very difficult to choose just one! My dad died, I visited San Francisco with my mother as part of our grieving, my youngest child started school… I suppose I am feeling a similar way with all of it. Everything feels big. Everything feels connected. Everything feels like a prompt to become more aware and mindful of where I am and who I am. What thoughts do I want to hold in my brain? How do I want to spend my time? How do I want to live?

After 17 years with my defibrillator, it went off for the first (and second) time in June 2022. I had really begun to thought that I would never need the damn thing, but it proved me wrong. Changed my life decisions going forward. My major response is SCARED.

I had a bad mammogram in early May. We have not taken a vacation in three years, having cancelled everything in 2020 and 2021. It seemed we'd probably miss one this year as well with medical tests. My Husband suggested we take off for Iowa and see the Frank Lloyd Wright things in Mason City for a week between the original test and the follow-ups, lest we get no vacation break in 2022. We did that and enjoyed a week of tourism in a state we hardly knew. We returned and my further testing turned out fine ... no cancer. I appreciate my husband for taking the initiative to get us both out of town and interested in something non-medical as we worried about the second shoe falling.

I chose to get sober from caffeine and all my other addictions and to begin 12 step treatment of them. I overwhelmed myself on purpose with a daily Wim Hof breathing model and using a neuro training meditation model of called Synctuition for 6 months and broke open the denial to all my other addictions, sex, sugar, carbs and chasing shiny objects!

My family - my husband and my children - we were able to live, work, and school together again in the same region after a significant period of time apart due to a series of life altering circumstances. I am grateful, relieved, hopeful, and anxious that this could be the end of a season of hardship and sacrifice, moving into the beginning of a period of renewal and hope for our family.

Wow, there have been so many... I began to study psychic mediumship with Vincent Genna, and found that I am actually a natural channel with decent accuracy. I have been able to channel for people to contact their deceased loved ones and it WORKS. Most recently, I was able to deliver a message of hope to my friend Karen Turner, who was dying, and reassure her that she would not be alone in her transition. Honestly I am pretty stunned that this is a gift of mine, given that I grew up in a very non-spiritual family. I also began assisting Lauren Rose's visceral classes, and discovered more gifts that I contain, especially the gift of deep listening. I think this was always a part of my bodywork (I remember resonating with the term "compassionate witness") but I am honing that gift and also teaching others to tune in as well. I wrote more classes and got them approved, and somehow, some day, I hope to be able to compile a book for teaching ethics for energy workers. I also started working with horses, doing energetic/intuitive bodywork, at a local horse-rescue, and feel so very happy to have horses in my life again. We had some upsetting family drama this year, when papa fell for an email scam that very nearly cost him $140,000 dollars... and of all the people in the family, I lost my shit the most. I came to find out through this episode, though, that everyone in the family thinks I'm a hothead -- and I at last came to understand that no one really knows me in my daily life. I have been playing right into some family game with assigned roles and I didn't even know it. How is it that I can be so peaceful at home, well-liked by my clients, and still be so short-tempered when it comes to interacting with my family of origin? So I have put a lot of conscious effort into changing that dynamic. Which has not been easy but I keep working at it. The common thread is that I am learning, every day, to listen -- to myself, and to others -- to find my own strengths, my own personhood, my own boundaries. I feel that i am coming into my "powers" or at least finally not blundering about so much as following a path to the work that is right for me. I am very very grateful for these experiences, all the experiences.

After turning 50 at the beginning of 2022, running my first half marathon ever in August! Proud of myself for the achievement, feeling blessed for the opportunity to be healthy enough to run and use my body, and inspired to do more! I’ve registered for my second half marathon this coming Sunday!

Weird how I struggled to think of something even though the phalloplasty is literally right here, attached to me :) The first surgery in the series was like almost exactly 11 months ago (october 25!) Like every step of transition I experienced a lot of trepidation leading up to it and then just a surprising amount of relief. Once I could walk again I felt so so so much better like- just cute all the time? I just felt cute all the time. for like two months!!! And I can't even use it for anything at the moment, really, because the nerves are still growing in and implants aren't for another like 4 or 5 months, but I'm just Happy a lot. Good body part to have, 10/10

There was a serious flood at my house in the winter due to climate change. The ground was frozen but it was pouring rain and the water had no place to go but into my house instead of into the ground. The fire department had to come and pump out over a foot of water and a scary and unsettling as it was, I’m grateful that I didn’t lose my furnace or water heater etc. in the basement. It was un-grounding and grounding at the same time.

My brother was sick all year and died. It tested all the things and people and roles in my life, and most of them failed that test. I am all those things: Grateful, relieved, resentful and inspired.

My daughter got married. I approached the event with mixed emotions. I love her wife and am so happy that she has a lovely relationship with a wonderful person. They make each other happy and that is all a mom ever wants for her child at any age. I was a little bit disappointed that we wouldn't be able to have a big event/party filled with friends and family. I also felt some resentment about their having to get married now because they feared the government would take that right away from them. The disappointment and resentment were getting in the way of my being able to enjoy the beauty and joy of the actual event. But on the day of the wedding, they had prepared a lovely ritual filled with love. It was perfect for them. I did not end up feeling anything but joy and appreciation for their happiness. Still not feeling the love for my government at the moment, but I can now separate those emotions from the happiness I feel for my daughter and her wife.

Two recent ones - I attended an invitational songwriters' retreat that inspired me and reinvigorated my creative energy. Then, just this week, I got to have a week with both my adult children, their significant others, and my son's dog. I feel so incredibly blessed, so fortunate, so engaged and connected, so grateful for all of it, hoping that I can make good on these feelings and experiences as I take them into the coming year.

I was promoted to a director position and given direct reports. It was daunting because I was taking on a group that wasn’t in my normal Tina command, and doing so after spending two years working incredibly hard (and many many hours) on covid mitigation legal work. But I was pleased that my efforts were recognized and that I was entrusted with the position. It meant that I had to dig in and find another gear, yet again, and bring vitality and energy into my work. This is a time I’d like to coast and reap a bit, but I’ve learned you have to take these opportunities when they arise. I want work to take its proper place among the priorities of my life, and it’s still taking too much. I’m glad I’ve had the realization that I work to live and not the opposite, but i do still get caught up in the brass rings of the moment from time to time, and it does make it hard for me to dig in when work takes a disproportionate amount yet again. I’d love to read this next year and have found balance while still performing at a level that serves the organization and makes me proud of my contributions.

In January, I had a baby! She is beautiful and perfect, but I had a traumatic birth experience and truly awful PPD. I dwell on those first few months and feel so terribly sad that I couldn’t give her the joy she deserved, but I try to make it up to her every day now.

Opening my home to a class again, and even having a strong determination of what the class was going to involve, stating it out loud (or in an email) rather than it being a "meditation" class, or a women's group. Which it is. I found I needed to make it known as to my own intention, a deep intention to evolve myself and help others as well. I felt much more authentic and inspired! What is happening is an inner bubbling up of the true purpose I entered this life with. The crack in the outer shell of the seeded material had occurred long ago and the trajectory was exposed -- and slowly, every slowly, the embodiment is taking place. Oh, no, it is not perfectly clear to me or the world; but every step is a beautiful unfolding of consciousness -- and I am so very grateful.

A significant thing that happened was getting a concussion. Having been pretty accident free and healthy most of my life, it was a perspective I was not used to. It also forced me to slow down and really reassess my wants and needs. I had a pretty significant breakthrough around it... I realized that I'm worthy even when I'm not being useful to others. I think it also made me more aware of my needs and sad about how long I have spent in my life, doing things that other people wanted me to do or that I think I should do. I've been much more focused on what I can control and I gave up being perfect for everyone around me ( I never was anyway, it was an illusion).

I met an old friend, and I found that I have strong feelings for him. I wondered how and why I could get over the loss of my husband so fast. I am very inspired, even though I know it will never be more than a platonic relationship, but I will look forward to any change.

When a customer told me that she wrote a poem about meeting me this past May. She shared the video with me a few weeks ago. I was stunned.

I have reshaped my idea of myself as able-bodied—I am both relieved and heartbroken to think of my now-relentless hormonal migraines as a chronic disability. Relieved because I can begin to shape my reality around my capacity; heartbroken because of my lessened ability to show up for my family and friends and the work as a children's librarian that I thought I would do for the rest of my life, for the weight of ableist expectations and capitalism and health insurance and disconnected/disinterested medical professionals. I'm grateful for the ways it's forced me to slow down—and grieving a life that was not filled with so much fatigue and pain.

Birthright. Spent 10 days in beautiful Israel with 26 other other similarly aged Jewish people. It definitely changed my life for the better. Made 20 new friends, reaffirmed my Jewish identity, made me realize the importance of a Jewish family and community. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity and experience

One of my friend’s was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer and it shook me. He is doing better now, thankfully, but I was shocked at how badly I took the news. After some introspection, I believe it scared me about my own mortality. I also recently turned 40 and I knew two other people, who happen to be younger than me, have major health scares. So you could say it was a mini-mid-life crisis.

Nothing really earth-shattering happened in the past year. A couple of things were somewhat significant. First, I tore the retinaculum in my ankle on a ski trip with Becky and Seth. I had to have surgery, and was laid up at home for over a month. It reminded me that I *am* a mere mortal - this was my first ever ski injury - and made me incredibly grateful for my awesome surgeon and my full recovery. Made me appreciate mobility a whole lot more. Also, kind of set me back with re. aerial, gardening, etc. The other significant experience - finally having a mini-family reunion on Cape Cod. It was a fantastic trip, and it was so nice to see how well we all got on together. Seeing my dad in pain due to his old leg injury was upsetting, and I came home with a bit of a shadow over my heart, feeling very aware of my parents' mortality.

This year felt like a recovery year and didn’t have big significant events. That said, when I think back over the year I do find myself thinking about winter quarter and the fall out from how I handled confusing the names of two Asian American women in my class. Lots of embarrassment and regret, and lots of lost sleep, but also lots of learning. I’m not proud of the mistake and certainly not proud of the hurt I caused, but I am proud of how I handled things after that. I owned my mistakes, I made sincere amends, I made space for students to voice their hurt and disappointment, and a number of students told me they learned a lot about leadership in how I handled it. And, I’d like to stop doing thoughtless things like that. I don’t feel shame, I just want to do better.

This past year has been extremely difficult. I went from being completely lost in grief and depression and being unemployed to finding a job and losing it, to finding hope and joy again and working at a temporary full time job. I also got myself back to my workout routine - which I'm proud of. And in mid August I started dating someone new. Time will tell where this relationship goes, and I'm trying to enjoy the journey without being in a hurry. I'm proud that through everything I've clung to God, I've kept moving forward, and gotten to a place where I have joy and hope again.

I began my master’s degree program at Rider and a graduate assistant position. I am very grateful to begin to build my new life for Ethan and I. I am terrified and hope this will be the best for us.

I can’t actually think of anything significant - it was one of those years where things just happened. Nothing too bad. Nothing extraordinary. Just one day after the next. Not sure that’s a good thing.

My darling daughter turned one. She walks, and talks, and feeds herself, and is a dazzling human being. I love this little girl with more than my whole entire soul and being. There is something that happens when we are close to each other that electrifies my outlook on the world and that maintains my serenity, wholly. She is magnetic to my existing and thriving. It is like I am more of a super woman with her in this life now. Getting through the first year of life was fulfilling, hard work. It feels so fast yet time ceases when she is in my arms. I am forever grateful G-d has given me this gift of life. The second chance to be a mother. The way I am supposed to be a mother for a child. I will forever be inspired by the little girl that saved my life in ways I can’t even imagine yet. The way she already has captivated everyone and has such a loving zest for life like I realized I also embody. She’s the reason I made it through everything and will make it through anything.

I graduated graduate school and got a relevant job, allowing me to move back to Washington, DC. For this I am grateful. I still live with my boyfriend, who somewhat recently had a really nasty accident. Our relationship has experienced some strain in the past few months, but I think we will be able to surmount it. Two days ago, one of our rats, Mozzarella, died, while he was on a business trip to his hometown. It was sad to deal with that completely by myself, especially since we originally got the rats because we both find the feral ones in DC to be cute. I feel like I have been constantly chasing the best or most perfect life, and I want to have a feeling of autonomy and excitement professionally. My current job is really cool, since I effectively work for USAID, which was a long term goal of mine. However, the day-to-day doesn't inspire me and I feel like it will take me way too long to get to a point where I feel like I have enough ownership or professional devel0pment leadership experience. I am in the recruitment process at IKEA right now, and if I am offered this job it would be at their office in Sweden - which would be a major life change. I guess this is all to say that, since graduation, some aspect of my life has been in a state of transition and I feel like I am beginning to lose my grounding. I have also recently had a huge falling out with my sisters, who no longer want anything to do with me. I do not know how to navigate that forward and don't know if it will ever become a less tense situation.

Things settled down. We found (a little) rhythm. My oldest had her first baby just a few weeks ago. My middle is moving here with her husband and twin toddlers. I'm back to teaching and so happy doing it. My dad has a girlfriend! I know this isn't permanent; I'm savoring the feeling of contentment while I can.

Starting taking medication for depression— relieved, there is an answer, a way to move forward,

I had to start taking blood pressure medicine in April. I have a phobia about getting my blood pressure taken. It is the minimum dose and had significantly reduced my previously high VO2 Max. My doctor says I can cut it out but then I fear I'm back to the pseudo high readings due to the phobia. I am trying hypnosis and this I hope will get me back to being medicine-free. I really believe it is all in my head.

In the past year I started, and finished, my first year of law school. I guess I technically started the year in August of 2021, but I was still very new to it at this time last year. It was one of the toughest years of my life; I wasn't expecting everything law school would throw my way. The school year started out really challenging because my dog passed away the day before I started school. It was rough to go through the whole year grieving and not having the emotional support of my beloved dog. But I had (and have still) my partner, who supports me every day and who I am very thankful for. I still experience imposter syndrome about being at law school; I feel like I don't belong and the Office of Admissions was crazy to let me in. These feelings were compounded by the fact that it took me so long to find a job, but I am still working my summer job and I am really enjoying it. They say that when you accomplish a huge goal, that it can lead to depression because you've accomplished the thing you have been building up in your head, and I definitely see this in my experience of the last year. But I'm so happy that I took the leap to go to law school, because I am enjoying what I do and think that I made the right choice. I also think a lot about how proud my brother and grandpa would be of me, and wish that they could be here to see it too. I know my grandpa would be especially proud to see the work I am doing to help my community unionize, because that was something in which he strongly believed. It's still a little unreal being at law school, but every day that passes by I am a little more confident about seeing the end of law school and seeing myself getting my Juris Doctorate. I was worried that since I dropped out of grad school once, that it would happen again. But whereas last time I was stumped about thinking of what I should write my thesis on, this time I had several topics to choose from that I was so excited to examine, and I am starting to deep dive into my chosen topic and think that I have a really great idea in mind. So that definitely increases my confidence in myself in this goal.

This year we learned of an incredible gift presented by my cousin Vita and her husband Burt. My girls and the holocaust museum will benefit gratefully. My heart is filled with gratitude that my kids may see great opportunities by this gift and it filled me with pleasure to learn that not only Jewish, but all people will benefit by the museum gift.

The supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade and my state (TX) jumped to the evil action of totally banning abortions. I was crushed and felt the weight of oppression. I'm worried for all the pain and suffering this will cause humans born with uteruses. It doesn't feel fair that our bodies can be regulated in this way.

Obtaining my Temporary Residence in Mexico - it was a looong process, with the highlight of a wait that started at 1:30 a.m. and ended at 12:30 p.m.with my temp residency approval - and a few days later - another wait and finally the Temp Residency card. For the first time, both Jose and I are legal in the same country! I was so relieved. While waiting, I met some amazing people from all over...people from Haiti, Columbia and Guatemala - very few from the US - all seeking to find their home in Tijuana - there were children and older people, and many young people - all kind and patient while we wating in a long queue for a small green card. It reminded me of the poem by Emma Lazarus - at the base of the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door." Only this time, it wasn't Lady Liberty - rather it was a 3rd world country recognizing the need to help other in need.

Wow. There are so many. The most significant for me is deciding to get back together with my beshert, Amichai Dov. I never wanted to divorce him, I just couldn't handle the chaos of the drinking. Five years later he hit rock bottom and moved to LA to do a long term rehab at Beit Teshuva. I've never seen anyone dedicate themselves so completely to improving themselves. Six months later, he is home with me in Evanston and I am the one trying to improve myself. My issues are emotional, but no less severe. I am truly blessed to have him here to support me. He surprises me every day. He is everything I need him to be and doesn't at all resemble the person I was married to before.

I retired as of September 1st. That's a pretty significant experience, I guess. And despite the fact that it's still a bit of an ongoing process, and despite the fact that I remain busy in other ways, there's still a sense of relief underlying all the anxiety and frustrations and feelings of being overwhelmed that go along with just ... life.

Oh, this is hard! But I'm going to say it is something that happened just this past week. During a conversation with a friend, I found out that a friend I havent seen in years just moved down from Yonkers, NY, to a neighboring town near me. She became a rabbi, and when I'd hung up with my other friend I immediately called her. There was such excitement between us. She called me again this afternoon to wish me Shanah Tova. I've felt suddenly that my whole world has suddenly opened up! After 21/2 years of being almost completely isolated and feeling so alone, an old friend has walked back into my world. I celebrated my birthday in August with such defeat in my soul; I just observed the second yahrzeit of my Rabbi and dear friend, who died without tribute or funeral, or Shiva visits, because of Covid. This man should have had a scholars funeral, with a packed sanctuary, but we his congregants have been left with no way to mourn. He was like a father to me. And suddenly, the vlouds have lifted a bit, just knowing my old friend is nearby. I am much more than grateful! It isn't that I am mourning him any less, it's just that the the sun has just come out, after a long darkness.

I got to sing a special song I wrote about my dad at his unveiling service. I was relieved it happened because his first unveiling ceremony was canceled due to a covid scare, and I had made a long trip for nothing. I am very grateful I could sing my long awaited song. It felt like a dream come true to finally sing it.

I made three visits to museums. Gloria's birthday, Sophie Talbot Arp at MOMA on March 2 , Kandinsky at Guggenhiem In August and Matisse at MOMA on Sept. 1.. I had a wonderful time in these visits.

My brother adopted a baby boy last month. I moved into a great condo to rent. I’m still working at a middle school for science. I’m happy about for my brother but I also wish for myself to have a family of my own. I’ve asked Jodi to be friends on FB and she said yes right away. I bought a love candle and am accepting and bringing love to me. I’m starting Tarot cards.

The most significant thing this year is being approved for sabbatical and living abroad. I sit now in the exec lounge in Hong Kong, transiting to Bangkok. I have already had so many wonderful opportunities, and I've only been gone three months! Wow, nine more months of this! I am relieved, happy, and Inspired. As many of my friends have been saying, I am "living my best life!"

I started Divinity School! I can't believe it's only been a year. It feels like much longer than that. When I think about my wonderful new friends, how much I've learned, how much I've healed, it all feels like a journey that is longer than a year. I love the questions that I've had the opportunity to ask, the ones that I've discovered, the ways that the program has challenged me and affirmed my leanings and skills. It's a wild thing, to throw away a career you've built and start on a new one - a privilege, for sure, but also a risk - and this year has been a wonderful echo back from the world that I'm on the right track.

This year was a year of transformation during which I shed old restrictions and fully committed to an expansive life. Surgery. Engagement. Business partner.

I am in the midst of a significant experience: I made a decision July 4 week to leave Orlando after 35 years. Once my child said they did not want to step back in Florida, I experienced a cut of the last thread of obligation and commitment to live in a place that I love and thrive in yet have wanted to leave for 30 years! I have sold my house, rented one in the mountains of NC and begin my new journey tomorrow. I am grateful and inspired, although I am in the throes of the details and have been able to "embrace the suck" until I am on the other side. Manifesting this reality was part of my Q10 2021 answers so I am deeply pleased that I have indeed created my desired future. I am deeply aware of the privilege I have to do so as well.

I renovated the kitchen and it's almost finished! So relieved.

The Ukrainian War. It seemingly came out of the blue. On top of everything else, it’s personal. I have Ukrainian-American friends as a result of working for their father. Through him I have a friend in Lviv. I have Ukrainian relatives I never met. I never thought I would ever text in Ukrainian and to inquire about a friend’s safety. An odd effect is that I had a paper accepted that touches on the war. It’s a comment on an article by a Ukrainian about sanctions, inspired by the war.

This summer I worked at Camp Wediko. It was hard as shit but I'm so grateful I got to do it. It made me stronger and happier as a person. It helped me understand people and learning and trauma and neurodivergence so wildly more than I had before. It helped me fall in love with nature on my own terms. It reaffirmed that I am a teacher. I don't miss being there and I don't know if I'll ever go back but I do miss the kids sometimes. Maybe it's just because I had no time to linger since I got into school and work immediately but I didn't have the crash that I thought I would. Almost immediately my only feeling about the kids was how complex and amazing they are and how I hope I helped them and I hope they're ok at home. The biggest difficulty I think I have coming back is being more sensitive to incompetence and feeling frustrated by people acting more incompetent than they are. But I need to remember that just like the kids that comes from something. At camp I also got to work with so many queer people and have a supervisor who is a queer adult woman with similar values to me who has a happy life and a happy family and is doing the kind of work with kids I want to do. It's the first time I've really felt like someone was a role model for me and it's a pretty incredible feeling even if I never see her again.

Tough question. Scott sold his practice and Colin got hired by the magazine. Significant for each of them, but impactful for me too. We can start to plan the next chapter in our lives - start to explore in real terms moving to Spain. Colin is able to see a future for himself. He has a real career. It feels like my family is getting on track. Just have to get Bryan there...

I started substitute teaching again. I also lost my job I really liked and I published another book. Best of all my granddaughter was born. I can't narrow down one significant event. I feel I've grown as a person and taken on new roles, and restarted an old with a whole new meaning. There's been a direction change for the better.

Experience: I started seeing a therapist. How did it affect me: I was quickly able to find a great deal of support from my therapist. Luckily he had tools that could be applied to my situation which proved to be highly effective. Yes I am extremely grateful for having had encouragement to seek support; that my intuition brought me to the right person, and that he had time to see me, and that I could afford the service. Yes I am absolutely relieved as well. At least one major issue I had been dealing with had me feeling such that there could be no solution to my issue. I was depressed thinking there were possibly no solutions, and so the relief has been tremendous. The inspiration which this experience has left me with is to continue to try to unpack the issues that I have and am dealing with, to find more clarity and peace in my life. And to in general try to identify ways in which I have been operating on patterns that are not serving me and to fold solutions to those problems as well.

I had a significant injuries this year, I broke my pelvis, and it was right around the time of Emma’s graduation, and my birthday, and the beginning of summer, and there were so many reasons to be disappointed… But it was such a wonderful experience and I was loved and cared for so beautifully that I find myself feeling more grateful for the injury than disappointed.

I came out as a lesbian and had my first romantic experiences with women. My first experience was very negative and caused a lot of discomfort surrounding my femininity. My second experience was overwhelmingly positive, but ended in heartbreak. I am grateful for these experiences because I learned so much about who I am, and because I experienced real romantic love for the first time in my life. I am relieved that I am out. I do hold a bit of resentment towards the person who I was (am) in love with. It is still a fresh situation. Finally, I am inspired by my own strength and resilience, and also my capacity to love at such depths.

I renegotiated my contract successfully. I agonized about it more than I wanted to but I asked for what I wanted and I got it. I was inspired and grateful. Even though I will make less I gained something more important to me - freedom to control my destiny more. I read today about the Kol Nidrei which allows us to rethink our previous year commitments and that is what I have done!

My trip to Lithuania this July will echo in my life for a long time. I am very grateful, as well as frustrated not to have all the information I want. Seeing so many killing sites, mostly in lovely rural areas, was so mixed. The scenery was bucolic, but the facts were horrifying. And, none of those towns have any Jews living there anymore.

Our family went on a two week road trip together. Before we left we weren’t sure if we were adventurous or insane taking two little kids 5,000 miles and I’m so glad we did. It was one of my favorite experiences of life so far. We spent time in my mom’s garden, went to a wedding, saw my grandfather, camped in our new trailer, saw baby bears, ate delicious food, snuggled, went to my dad’s alma mater, and were just generally together and free. I felt full of love. I felt restored. I felt a little wild. And I loved it and the connection it rekindled with my family. It also reminded me not to wait for the perfect time to adventure or prioritize joy.

I think for me a significant experience that I am still trying to process is determining that I have Autism and processing what that means for me going forward as someone in their upper 30's. It provided new context for my past experiences and new opportunities to understand how to live my best life BUT also led to questioning/doubt/confusion around who I am, who I have been, and who I can be moving forward

Started a new job - again working to balance work w self-care

I finally broke up with my partner after 11 years. It was hard, but it was many years too late. I processed the break up before it actually happened, with months of crying in the shower, and getting used to the idea. Now I am simply excited to feel alive again, to start a new life in a new year. I already feel more vibrant. I love that electric buzz of a new crush, that exhilarating period of time where anything is possible and love feels incandescent. I think that now that I'm in my 30s I have a better sense of what I want and need in a partner and I'm much better equipped to find someone to share my life with. I feel so incredibly hopeful and free.

As I think about this question, my first thought is, "Eh...there wasn't a significant experience this past year," but I don't think that's really accurate. While the pandemic may be waning, Covid is still a thing and it's been a backdrop to the year. So getting out and doing more and not doing it in fear feels fairly significant. Going to Nashville and then coming home and getting Covid in July was scary at first, and a relief after, because while I was pretty sick, I'd had the vaccine and realize it probably would have been much worse had I not had it. Changes at work with people retiring...that was kind of significant and left me with such a range of emotions. Coming back to school this fall has felt pretty good so far. Adding a second dog to our family. Significant? Yes...it changed the dynamic of our household and left me questioning whether it was right to do or not, even though I know it really was a good thing, too.

I learnt the value of having good friends around me during tough times. I'm very grateful for it.

A few weeks ago I won the Cap Classic. After getting knocked out in the semifinal round last year, I came back this year and won my first title. Having began my tennis career only 2 years ago it is great to see all of my hard work pay off. Tennis has helped me keep physically active, while sharpening my mental skills such as resilience and grit. I am grateful that I am able to play such an expansive sport. I am grateful to have this lifestyle.

Finally feeling able to domestically travel again for fun has made me so grateful for the ability to do so and the wonderful people I’ve traveled with. I appreciate the experiences in a whole new way and make an effort to seize joy and also built more rest into my travels.

I changed professional fields and got rid of an incredibly toxic boss. I learned the power of compassion and kindness in professional environments, what it means to show up for and support your coworkers, and how much it means when they do the same for you. I feel incredibly grateful, inspired, and excited about the future of my career. I also told a girl how I felt about her for the first time in twenty years. I felt afraid, then bashful, then relieved, then excited. And I've been feeling a lot of things in the last six month since she told me that she had similar feelings :)

Becoming involved in a new relationship. It gave me a new life. I am very grateful and feel blessed for this late in life occurrence.

Howard retired! Happy, fun having him around, feeling the desire more and more to join him, but also still riding it out. We'll see how the winter goes and how it is being away from work for a month in AU/NZ!

One of the systems I manage for work was compromised by hackers and we ended up having to replace that software with a new system and go live in less than three weeks. Though I’m grateful to have a job, I’m extremely relieved that experience is over and I survived to look back on it. I wouldn’t wish that experience on my worst enemy.

I guess what was significant was a very nice school year. I realized I had great kids last year. This year is much different. My fifth Last year was pretty crazy, and we had that extra tutoring period. But this year we have 100 extra students so we’re back to 30+ kids in every class. It’s only September and the kids are acting like it’s May!

I made the decision to move to a neighboring city while caretaking a home for friends. They decided to sell the house. My finding a home to buy did not coincide with the twice accelerated date that my friends asked me to vacate to prepare their house for sale, so I put almost all my things in storage, found alternate housing for the cats (with my ex husband, who is experiencing significant cognitive decline) and for myself, while continuing to seek a home, traveling for two extended trips planned well before knowing the date of the expected move out, and planning my daughter's college graduation celebration weekend. I viewed a home on the way to/from my daughter's weekend graduation, made an offer on the following Monday that was accepted, and officially moved in six weeks later. The stress not only of the twice accelerated move date and the energy expended in the series of chess moves to make things as smooth as possible while packing, traveling, tending to cats/daughter and living in transitional housing but of the apparent lack of awareness by my friends of the impact their increasing impatience to have me move would have on my life and well-being was enormous. I still have a stiff neck that no one can explain. I was hurt. I went into "get it done" mode. And I did my best not to let my hurt, anger, and stress leak onto my daughter, my friends (they had their own anxiety about the selling the home before the market dropped), and those who stepped up to help me navigate this situation including my ex-husband. I am grateful to those who took me and the cats in. I am grateful to have the resources to afford a new home, which is the right home for me. I was relieved to find it relatively quickly. And I was blessed to spend more time with my ex, who I had not seen frequently since our divorce, and whose decline was likely happening at the end of our marriage 8 years ago though we had no idea. Spending time with him now can make me sad for the seemingly cruel and arbitrary loss of the man I knew, but we can still laugh uproariously together. His mixed-up memories do no harm, and his focus on the present is a reminder that every breath, every sight, every smell, every hug is a gift. I am more able to love him without judgment now than during our marriage. I am no longer close to the friends whose house I lived in, though we are cordial. That feels like a loss too. Home has more than one meaning. There is the house I now live in and a new community to explore. And there are the people who will always be family and part of my home regardless of where they are in the Universe. I am grateful to have both.

There have been so many significant experiences that have happened this year and all of them have had major impact on mine and my families lives. My mother had double hip surgery and has gone through many ups and downs on her battle with depression and self infliction through substance abuse. My sister took a semi permanent break from her husband and moved in with my family for 8 months before leaving to start a new career with an old dear friend of mine. My husband graduated after 4 years of pursuing a Master's degree. My eldest of three children started kindergarten. I lost a very sick kitten that I had been trying to rescue/save. I also vowed to get my health and eating disorder under control with the help of a life coach. I know the question was for one significant experience, but I feel as though my life is the sum of all experiences and how I respond and grow over time. No single experience happens without bleed through into my other experiences as time seems so fluid and overlapping even though it is measured linearly. I am grateful for all of the experiences despite how horrific some have been and continue to be as I feel those are the ones that help shape me the most into the person I strive to be.

When we lost Lucky-dog for 6 hours - i wa grateful for the community around us - relieved we found him and inspired by the power of friendship and empathy.

I closed my office after 28 years in that space and moved my practice to fully and permanently virtual. I was happy to do it, like working from home, and love the home office I have created.

One significant experience this year was getting yelled at on the bus for trying to keep myself safe. This made me realize that being 15, not many people listen to you and that most people might not care for your safety. I started school 8 weeks ago and have complained every day, but nothing is being done about the situation. I have no idea who to go to in order to get this situation fixed. This whole thing has made me anxious to be on the bus where I know my safety isn't valid and the next step is probably kicking me off the bus! I do hope we can get this fixed soon so that I can finally be safe on the bus without getting yelled at for it. One significant global event was all the things happening was all the things with Ukraine. While this didn't affect me personally, it made me realize that life can change in the blink of an eye. I still feel sorry for the innocent souls who have lost their lives or even the ones who may pass on in the near future. I have never lived in fear for others in that way before. Seeing it all unfold was one of the most nerve-wracking things for me to watch. I just wish that in the end, things are better next year!

I haven't participated in 10Q since 2018, when I was on dialysis and resigned to waiting as many as 10 years for a kidney transplant. At that time my 26 daughter had volunteered to donate a kidney, and was seriously being considered as a donor. She was ultimately turned down for of very good reasons, but in the same phone call I was told that the surgical team had reviewed my wife's records and determined that they could work around the small problem that had previoulsy disqualified her as a donor. During back to back surgeries on December 18, 2018 she gave me one of her kidneys, and I have been in increasingly good health since. Grateful, yes, but overwhelmed with the thought that anyone could willingly put themselves at risk to make that sacrifice. That she is my closest friend and partner in life is just too much to comprehend, even now.

This past year, my boss retired and I got a new boss. The old boss had given me a very significant amount of responsibility and left me much to my own devices, backing me up as necessary. He was impetuous and sometimes needed guidance in diplomacy and communication, and he recognized me eventually as someone who could help with that. We worked out what I thought was a very balanced and mutually supportive relationship. Then my new boss started, and it was still the pandemic, so she and I did not meet in person. My old boss met with me for an hour on a weekly basis, but the new boss was so overwhelmed in learning about the job that she only made a half-hour for me, and always on zoom. I felt very alone and was not sure that what I was doing was what she wanted. As time went on, I became increasingly frustrated. Now and then she questioned what I was doing or did something that contradicted or undermined me, without meaning to do so. I struggled to get more time with her, but more and more I felt that I needed to step down, to make room for her to choose her own second-in-command. I met with her to say that I thought I would step out of the job in the next few months, and I was surprised that she seemed shaken. Why was I thinking of stepping down? Was it her leadership? Was there anything she could do to help? I realized that she was in fact counting on me, and that she wanted me to stay. She started to make an effort to get to know me, and as the pandemic ebbed and we were able to meet each other in person and for longer periods, we got to know and appreciate each other. Now I feel more confident about my work and about her as my boss, so I definitely will stay on for at least a year.

I got engaged! It was more overwhelming than I anticipated and it's been difficult navigating this union with my future in-laws who are not supportive of our interfaith relationship (I'm Jewish, he's Catholic), but I'm learning to set strict boundaries and enjoy with the people who are happy for us.

We moved to lower manhattan and then to the upper east side. I think this was a good move for our family. We are no longer on the train everyday. Unfortunately finances are still very tight.

The most significant experience that happened to me this last year just happened: I quit my job at the Public Defender's Office and opened up my own criminal defense practice. I am two weeks in and really like it, although I have barely generated any revenue. People keep telling me how much they admire my bravery for going into business for myself, but it did not feel like a brave choice, t felt like a necessary one. I was starting to resent who I had become in the job I had. I realized I was not doing the job I signed up for, although the job I was doing was definitely the job I was hired to do. Shamefully, it took me almost 12 years to realize it. I am grateful for my very supportive wife who has been my champion and partner throughout this process. I am relieved to be out of a situation that wa snot good for me. I am inspired to make myu new venture a success.

I left my fulltime position as the CEO of Swipe Out Hunger. More than that, I prepared the organization for my departure. I raised an insane amount of money, I mentally prepared my team as much as one could. I prepared and recruited for my board. I decentered myself and was okay with the organization changing. I also fell in love in 5782. I went on a date with Max on May 15th and I have no idea what were doing but right now, it feels really really really good and I love him so much and I love having him in my life. He's a really good one. I'm feeling a little...not unworthy but my self doubt of like, am I being a good partner? am I doing this right? what does he love about me and is that thing real/me/does it understand me really? I know its just my mind playing me and I'm working to quiet the noise.

This year my son and I traveled to see family in New York for my cousin’s younger son’s bar mitzvah. It was really beautiful, but the best part was seeing my own son engaged and singing, praying with the temple community. I was so proud of him, and so pleased to have him feel so much a part of our faith.

A significant experience in the last year was spending the spring semester in Spain. It was incredible, and it almost didn't feel like real life. It gave me such a new perspective on so many things that I thought were familiar or that I thought I knew and understood. I am so grateful I got to do that.

It began as February began. My father, previously diagnosed with Parkinson's disease but suffering profoundly from dementia more than physical symptoms, began to decline even more. Sleep was disrupted almost nightly. The days were tense. He was in a world of delusions and hallucinations that made no sense to any of us, even him. Two of us were out of town in early March; it felt like guilt, to sleep in peace. At the end of March, we took him to the hospital after days of no response from his neurologist. The next day, the doctor at the hospital said that she thought he had Lewy body dementia. We began to make different plans for when he came home; two days later, he died, still at the hospital. I was relieved for him, grateful he didn't live long knowing what was truly wrong with his brain, always before his greatest asset, exhausted. As the months pass, I can remember more of who he was, before the disease, which was torture for him as well as for us. I don't know what we need to change to prevent and treat dementias, but they are a thief.

The significant experience that happened in the past year was missing so many significant experiences during the past year and the frustration involved. I missed seeing and being with family and friends and was getting tired of being home all the time. This is particularly difficult for me, because I have a profound hearing loss. I depend heavily on lip reading. Being around people wearing masks makes it nearly impossible for me to understand what they are saying. I understand and appreciate why they are wearing them. I would like them to understand why it hinders my ability to understand what they are saying. There are high quality masks with a clear insert infant of the mouth, so lips can be seen and read, but very few people know about these or use them. Even doctors who should understand the issue rarely will wear wear these masks to accommodate people with a hearing loss. I look forward to this pandemic to really be over and to the requirement to wear face masks to be eliminated. I would also like people to be aware of and understand this problem that so many people face.

I graduated from grad school! Like Clown College, or my years with the circus, it didn't seem like such a big deal until it was done and lots of people told me that it was. I am super grateful to Alex and the kids for their patience with me over the past few years, and I am excited to begin this new chapter in a few weeks.

Purchased a townhouse. Yes I am grateful but scared. I questioned my decisions when it involves a lot of money. I needed a change and this is working out even though I'm going through a lot of changes. More space is opening up my mind.

Mom became very ill and was hospitalized. She was diagnosed with CHF and then pulmonary hypertension. I found her softening and accepting and being filled with appreciation. It inspired me to see her grace and it transformed the way I see her as she began to see me and Steve. It totally softened my heart.

Rereading my last year's answer was interesting. I had to have the same surgery again and this time I nearly died. The doctor nicked my descending thoracic aorta and I nearly exsanguinated on the table. I am still processing the trauma from that. Even with that event, it is still difficult to pinpoint the most significant experience for me this year. I said good bye to a lot of things that were not serving me, including a lot of men. I pledged to only engage with that which is in line with my purpose which is to love. I am doing more of that and I am finding that I am calling to me good people with good energy and similar values. I am grateful to finally feel centred and less thrown by the things happening on the outside of the wheel.

My trip to Ragbrai. A drive to Iowa with Francoise, Pierre, Micah, Meyer and Myles with stops along the way and switching between cars. Totally a rewarding and fun experience. Pierre being the only one that struggled a bit. Kids were great and the overall experience was fun and enlightening. Then 7 days in tents and biking across Iowa. I saw that Micah has grown into a wonderful, caring, intelligent man looking out for everyone. The boys were unbelievable, adaptable and engaged. They rode lights out and were stars. Every adult was blown away at their riding and personality. Myles completed the 100 mile day including being picked up by the police when he got lost. The week was incredible and satisfying. My need to take care of too many friends was my downfall as they are essentially ungrateful and selfish. The family including Francoise was independent and without complaining. The ride back was also great. Micah's 50th birthday celebration, Chamberlin SD, Arches, Rushmore. Great food, great fun. No whiners save for Pierre but that was mostly funny. I know I will leave my family in good hands one day.

Art got sepsis and was hospitalized for over a week, with a recovery that is still ongoing six months later. Started me thinking about how I will live after he dies, if he predeceases me!

My significant experience this past year was getting a full time remote job with health insurance. At first it sounded too good to be true, but it turned out to be true. How did it affect me, it made me start to think a little differently. It let me know who my friends were and who was just using me. I am very grateful that I have job that meets my needs. Yes I am relieved. On the odd occasion I do feel a little resentful that after all these years I am still a "low level" employee. Yes I am inspired that I get to do more and better.

i turned a friend into a best friend, and that made me feel more loved and feel like i can share more love and kindness.

Beginning work on a book to explore the relationship among cities as institutions, city staff and elected officials, and the people who live in them. Cities are the governmental entities that have the greatest effect on individuals and are also the places in which individuals can most affect continuity and/or change. My goal is to complete the research and rough draft within the coming year. It's an exciting project to be underway.

This past year I really grew to resent my teaching job. Before this, there were major difficulties but when I tell you I hated it this year, I HATED it. The kids sucked. Admin did nothing. I had no creativity. My workload increased significantly. At the end of the school year, I quit my job sort of on a whim with no backup plan. Honestly, I miss my friends from work. But at the same time, I am super grateful and relieved. I ended up getting the whole summer to myself, plus half of September. The burnout completely dissolved and having fun became the main focus of my life. I traveled, I went out with friends, I dated, and I kissed a lot of people lol. It was great. I just started my new job, but I'm feeling really good about where it's headed. It's nice to have a life outside of my work but to still be of service in a way that is meaningful to me. I also now feel energized to move forward on my goals, like going back to school!

I started (substitute) teaching this year! The whole process is an experience I’m grateful for and proud of. Paperwork, credentialing, applying etc. I followed through to the end. I’m teaching 6 days of 1st grade right now and I’m inspired to keep going! It feels like I belong there and it feels good. My degree is in elementary education but I never made it into the classroom. Fast forward 23 years and my time has come.

The death of a life-long friend. Brought home to me my mortality and that of those around me. I am grateful for having known Harry for as long as I did and sorry he died at a relatively young age.

I was really grateful to get my summer internship at NYC over this summer. To be honest, I didn't expect to even get a summer internship, much less have it in a city as bustling and beautiful as New York. Connecting the dots back, it was crazy to think that a simple visit to MIT for a Singaporean gathering led me to joining their e-list, which allowed me to connect with Tse Wei, which eventually led to my referral, which didn't go through because there weren't any spots for summer interns, to a random phone call by Leo in May that a spot just opened. So many amazing coincidences just happened. I praise God for the amazingness of His grace by putting me in the right places and right situations, and how I've been able to find great opportunities from them. More than luck or personal effort to 'increase my surface area for serendipity', it was very likely God that guided me and made this happen.

Jesus Christ. That's a hell of a question. Bold of you to ask. I feel like I could get creative and try to answer this in a clever way, but I'm fresh off a crying session from the obvious answer. Ben McKinley MacLeod. How do I even described what happened in those hot summer months to do this experience justice. I wonder what I will think about all this in a year, in two. I suppose this very moment will be something of a ornament on my tree of emotional growth, maybe a trophy even. Everything about being with him changed my life. My first relationship, my first love, my first time being so emotionally reliant on someone outside my family, and pulling those things out of him as well. The moments where ten minutes felt like ten years and ten years felt like ten minutes. We never felt like we had enough time, even when it felt like time didn't matter. And that feeling maybe one of the best in the world. I don't know how I feel right now. I feel angry, confused, and sad, but also hopeful that I might see him again and that things will get better for me, that I'll move on but hopefully hold an understanding of the universe that includes the existence of real love, if we're open to it. I fell in love with a man who fell in love with me, between the cities that neither of us lived in and between the sheets of fleeting moments. I experienced what life can be like in such vivid ways. Loving him and being loved made me a better person. It made my eyes wide and made my heart curious for the entire goddamn world. It made me unafraid; if I can and will say goodbye to someone that I owe such a large part of myself to, maybe I can do just about anything. I've never felt pain like I did when I had to say goodbye to him in Dublin, that morning that was just a week ago. But I feel so situated in such a beautiful world, a world capable of bringing people that are meant to be together, together. I'm so grateful for what I wa able to experience, I wouldn't change anything from the day I met him at Grand Central Station to the last morning I had with him before I left to go start another chapter of my life abroad. Maybe I feel relieved that I had that experience, that I know I'm capable of such emotion. When I met him, my interactions with other men made me feel otherwise, and I think he brought me closer to who I really am and what I really want, forced me to be honest with myself. Maybe resentful that the world forced us apart, maybe thankful or in awe that I was able to say goodbye to him and put my future first. Learn to put myself first. It was so hard, but I know I have to be here, in Istanbul. I have no idea what the future will hold or what it will look like. I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow. I have a hunch he'll move on by virtue of emotional suppression and maybe that hurts a bit. I still feel comforted by thinking about seeing him again, but it's hard to entirely leave that up to fate- I believe in intentionality but I also believe that things will work out as they're meant to. Will I see him again? Strange to think the next time I read this I'll know the answer to that question. But maybe that's a very small part of it all, it doesn't change in any way how I felt this Summer, how things changed for me. The future does not dictate the present, or the past.

After so many years of promising myself that I was going to lose weight I finally took massive action and lost 70 pounds. It was a reaction to almost dying of a pulmonary embolism. A few months later I was diagnosed with cancer and had a complete hysterectomy. I thought I needed to take responsibility for my own health and did Keto and intermittent fasting as well as complete fasting to lose weight. I have been fairly stable since last November. I have deviated in either direction about 5 pounds and I count that a win. I am very proud of myself! It’s funny after losing all this weight and fasting for a week where I ate nothing, and supposedly cancer cells can’t survive that and yet I’ve been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I have no symptoms yet and might not ever need treatment if it is slow moving. We will see.

This summer, my siblings and I moved my mother--who had been adamant to stay in her own home--to a memory care facility. I live hundreds of miles away and continue to experience many emotions: gratitude that she is in a better and safer place; grief that this signals further distance from her; and loneliness as I miss the mother I knew most of my life.

I found my egg donor. It was unexpectedly quick and has made me feel proud of myself for following my heart, whatever may happened next. I’m also proud that I turned down the donor initially when she was a closed donor, because it was the right thing for me. I’m very grateful that on hearing why I chose to say no she decided to be an open donor for me. I hopeful for what comes next.

I learned enough about myself to make friends who like the me I feel most like when I'm by myself. I'm enjoying meeting people who like that I like them.

Well, I got married to the new love of my life. A woman who I knew briefly in high school, who made a big impact on me, though totally free of a relationship. She was dating someone, I started dating someone and we moved apart. I only really can remember a half dozen conversations with her - but I told my Mother one day that I had met the "type" of woman I wanted to marry so obviously made a big impression. She moved to Germany about eight years after High School and lived there for 40 years until we reconnected on social media, discovered that neither of us were "attached" and began a whirlwind relationship that culminated in our marriage about nine months later. It's the best thing that has ever happened to either one of us and we are looking forward to the next few decades of our life together. I would certainly say that I'm grateful, inspired and relieved to finally be able to love and be loved in the fullest manner possible.

I became very bitter and closed off about various political and personal issues that made me behave in ways I regret. However, it came to a head when my best friend confronted me with it. It made me feel aggrieved that I could not see what I was doing but also grateful that she had taken pains to help point out what was going on and how my behaviour was affecting others. Maybe i will make exactly the same mistakes again and again but at least i know someone is trusting enough to point it out to me and im not a total psychopath that i cant see how my behaviour may negatively affect others, im grateful to be allowed another chance to try and be a bit better at dealing with my own issues by those around me.

My ex boyfriend fell into a coma and died. I was heartbroken for about 7 months. I listened to How to Live When a Loved One Dies by Thich Nhat Hanh and I seemed to absorb the experience, coming to terms with our interconnectedness as living beings and finding comfort in it. I am inspired by his value of simplicity and his concern for nature. This death has been a preparation for the inevitable losses of people even closer than him.

Actually, this year I can cite three significant experiences. I received lifetime achievement awards form two professional societies of which I am a member. The first was quite meaningful because it recognized my >25-year effort to professionalize the society's education programming. The second was also meaningful in that it recognized nearly 50-years of championing the awareness of damage that microbes can cause to industrial systems - particularly fuels & fuel systems. I could not help but be quite grateful the recognition. Earlier this month, my wife and I travelled to London to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. This was our first international travel together since COVID. I was (and remain) most grateful to share life with my wife, and relieved that we were able to travel together. I'm also grateful that our son & daughter-in-law (who live in northern England) were able to join us in London during our visit.

I walked away from my stressful (but also fulfilling at times) job of 30 years, not knowing exactly what the future holds….but definitely knowing that I did not want to continue on the same path. So far, I am very grateful, and I feel like I am slowly learning to know myself.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. This left me profoundly depressed, frightened, feeling like I was in a dark, dark universe. Prior to that, I was pleased to make contact with NCJW to conduct a ReproShabbat.

My 23 year old son is challenging me on our relationship and his childhood. At one point he got issues off his chest in an email that said I have been a failure as his father. I've experienced this painfully, but also hopefully, because we are both still alive and can potentially heal his trauma. I don't see myself as a failure at all, and not because I'm the classic self-absorbed non-introspective person who can't place themselves in others shoes, but because I've clearly supported my son on his journey and continue to do so, despite me being able to open this piece by referencing his "failure" comment. The year ahead is an opportunity to work on this. A week ago we had a long conversation reading a newer email he had written and my responses, where we shared the email on a video call and could hear each other's tone and see our faces, which defused what his harsh perception of what he thought I was really saying when there was no tone or face. I am troubled, grieved, hopeful, and yet content that I have done all I can do to help him heal. Last year's comment legacy is still true and carries forward in my psyche.

My Father dying has been monumental. I have not completely adjusted and the matter of his affairs not being settled gives me a stuck feeling. Other little events, my niece moving to SD My surrogate daughter's life changing decisions My 98 year old elder has had several hospital visits and her future "home" status is in question. My rowing machine died and I failed to be able to repair I have let all of these prevent me from finding a calm in my own life and focus on my health.

On July 28, I fell from a fainting accident. I fractured my skull in three places, had brain bleeds, and suffered a traumatic brain injury. I am grateful I am alive. On August 1, I was sexually assaulted when I was released from the hospital. I'm learning that it was sexual assault because I was coming off of dilaudid, which is ten times stronger than morphine. I wasn't supposed to have sex that day. I remember participating, but if I weren't on Dilaudid, I certainly would have not participated. I thought he had flown from DC to California to take care of me, but on the day I was released, I was still coming off of Dilaudid, and we had sex the first day we were in a motel. I can't even remember how I got there. He left that Saturday. I thought I would see him again when I returned to the DC area, but after he left, I decided not to talk to him again because something inside of me told me that the whole situation wasn't good for my brain. I stayed in California for the next two weeks under doctor's orders to refrain from air travel. When I returned home at the end of August, I noticed he had left numerous messages and phone calls. On the second week of September, he asked a friend to contact me, as "the neutral person". At that moment, I decided to file a restraining order. I hadn't spoken to the guy since mid-August, and here we were, third week in September. I accidentally tapped on the archived chats and he had sent four more messages since I arrived in August. I couldn't open the messages because I didn't want to go through the emotional process of reading them. I'm grateful I didn't get worse from having sex. I'm grateful I didn't call him back or read his messages. I'm grateful that I didn't continue the relationship with him. I feel like the old me would have continued the relationship. I would've taken a line from one of the messages I'd seen and placated his insecurities, as I had always done. I'm resentful that he took advantage of me. I'm relieved that I no longer participate in the relationship. I'm resentful that I spent five months enjoying a relationship with him that ended in sexual assault. I'm inspired to do better but not yet sure how. I hope I can have better friends, better partners, and get better. Be better.

I retired from work. I am relieved but was disappointed by the fact that few people at work knew and even fewer cared.

This year legally marrying my husband which I am grateful for and gave us more peace of mind and brought us even closer. I also formed an LLC called FASD Illinois as part of my advocacy for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. I feel inspired and frustrated that I can't contribute more to this yet and that with the poplulation greater than 2 1/2 times autism, I am angered that this work needs to be done. There are no services or supports for this community at the detriment of them, their families, and society.

it was about a year ago that i quit my job. Then Elliot countered with 4 days a week, I came back with 3 and that is where we are. I needed to stop but I was afraid to. Financially and also personally. What am I if i am not an attorney? and would I ever leave the house if i didn't have to? this year has helped me see what retirement is and can be. Now I have to take the next step and just do it. Almost ready.

I RETIRED!! I happy, grateful, relieved, never looking back, glad for all the joy I had in my career but SO SO GLAD to be retired. It’s simply the most amazing gift to be able to pursue whatever my heart desires and still have enough money to survive and buy presents for the grandkids. I read about 10 books on spiritually/emotionally preparing to embrace retirement and I think they helped a lot. I am going from DOING to BEING and I like that. I am getting so much stronger in dealing with life’s difficult stuff and my meditation practice has been key to that as well as my therapy sessions, which are twice a month mostly. I was so so so happy when I could paddleboard after school started!!! I hope to keep paddling far into fall. I also hope to try running again. I loved it so much. I think I’m ready to gradually get back out there. I might do just 3 times a week, MWF. I feel so grateful for my home, my sons, my dog, my beautiful life. I am blessed beyond measure. Also grateful for sobriety every single morning!!! And all day long too!! Without a doubt retirement, when it happens at the right time for the right reasons, is a beautiful life transition! I earned it and now I can LIVE IT!! 😊

I wanted a new job and the blessing of an opportunity presented itself. I received a 30% increase and the culture is to care about people. They are not treated as commodities. I am inspired to add value to this culture by walking in my purpose. I want to ensure people continue to have a healthy work environment.

Moving countries...again...and job...again. Its strange in that life's trajectory seems to be picking up where it left off in March 2020, but I'm older and its so much harder this time. In the grand scheme of things, these are all good changes, but they're exhausting ones. I'm grateful, but also resentful that it comes at such a high cost.

This past year I got married. I am grateful to have found someone who I love so much who loves me back, who is a good, decent, thoughtful, considerate person -- and meets all of those criteria that I mapped out so many years ago. I am relieved that I have someone who, god-willing will be with me for the rest of my days, to grow old with, to look after me in my old age, to laugh with and to cry with, and to share what will be the difficulties of aging. I am relieved that I will no longer be so alone in life, that have a partner and companion. Friends far and near have found my marriage inspiring. Literally, hundreds of friends from all periods of my life, from around the globe chimed in to wish me well. I was overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of love and good wishes. The wedding itself was indeed, I think, the happiest day of my life. Only our closest friends and family were there -- just shy of 50 people. It was beautiful and intimate and meaningful. It took place in the backyard of a close friend, with my lifelong friends present and my rabbi, who has taught me so much over the past 20+ years, officiated. Friends from childhood (okay, teenagerhood) were there, friends of 45+ years along with friends of 30 and 20 and 10 years. And then there was my new family, already almost family to me became officially family. Suddenly, where it was just my mother and me left in the world, I (we) have a family. Sisters-in-law, a brother-in-law, nieces and nephews and a stepdaughter. So relieved am I, to find myself at 60 years of age, no longer alone in the world. So grateful to have finally found my guy.

The end of full-time mothering. It's what I was obsessing about at this time last year, and now I made it this far. My best friend says that relationships with children always go through phases - her oldest has been out of the house for 10 years, and her youngest just turned 16 - and I know that's true. But I'm not sure how I would describe how it has affected me, since I'm still getting used to it and having trouble believing how quickly this distance has opened up from my child's side. When I think about my own experience at Bennington, being in touch with my parents was one of the last things on my mind, and anyway I had to sit in a pay phone booth in the hallway to make a call and it had to be collect, which was expensive. But my kiddo and I enjoyed each other's company so much over the summer and over the past few years . . . and now we're down to a few minutes of WhatsApping a day. That was the whole point of mothering for me, the direction of all my intentionality, but this doesn't exactly feel like success! Yet at an intellectual level at least, I know that it IS success.

My care package at home fell apart after a long struggle with various agencies over the past 3 years. It culminated in me coming to stay in a care home, originally temporarily, which I really didn't want to do. I was in tears when I drove up there. But after a couple of weeks I could feel the stress begin to dissipate, and even more so when the manager discovered I had a cat and she immediately got the okay from her line manager for me to bring the cat to the care home. After huge arguments with myself for a week or so, I decided to ask if I could move in permanently. It is a huge change, and nobody was more surprised than me (though the social worker was a close second) that I came to this decision, but it has been a good thing, probably made a lot easier because I can keep my flat, slowly sort things out there, and eventually rent it out.

The entire year had been full of significance for me. My business grew, Mason entered H.S, Jade has started her musical “career”, and the family took our first vacation since before 2020. I am both grateful and relieved that we were alive and well enough to enjoy whatever life threw us this past year, and look forward to living with what happens next. together.

I moved to Dallas! It has been a huge learning experience and while I don’t regret it, I’m glad that I will be moving away soon.

Going to BCI. I learned about what it means to be myself authentically, about how to build lasting relationships, about how to exist in communal understanding with others. I’m so grateful for it and I know it has changed me for the better. Though I still wonder how to bring what I learned from the experience to my “normal” life.

Got a light case of Covid at the end of the year. As a rule, it seems to do permanent damage and I’ve felt every day since — worsened when my spouse tested positive a few weeks ago. I was before and since pissed off at conservatives who have hobbled a proper, national response to the pandemic for no better reason that they’re pathological.

I have developed a strong bond with the older daughter. I feel so good about it.

In the past year, I’ve had three miscarriages. It’s been heartbreaking and frustrating and so painful. Sometimes you don’t know what disappointment is actually preventing something even worse, like it’s meant to be this way for reason. But to be honest, I’m having trouble finding meaning in it. I saw a lot of my friends getting pregnant each time I also was pregnant and now they all have babies. That’s been really hard to go through.

Probably the most significant event was breaking up with my boyfriend of 7 years, although it wa somewhat on and off. In some ways I am grateful and relieved. I am certainly resentful. I am not yet inspired. I hope with every fiber in my being that when I read this again a year from now I will be fully released from the Avalanche of emotion that has caught me unprepared and affects every single day, even now almost a year after it happened. I'm still haunted by memories, and by the pain of having been rejected and betrayed. I know this all sounds so dramatic and emotional, because that is still how it feels. I pray everyday to be released from the hold it has on me. The awareness that has slowly dawned on me in the wake of this event is that I need to be my own best friend, I need to make myself happy, I need to find joy in simple things, and in being by myself, and being who I am, and I pledge to be more responsible for myself and my own happiness. It will be a slow process, I know. Learning to love yourself and release so much sadness just takes time. But this is the awareness that has sprung from this experience of grief.

My health has continued to decline. It is very frustrating ☺️. I have to exercise more, but my medication leaves me fatigued.

The most significant thing to happen to me this year was a deep deep bout of depression followed by starting ketamine treatment. Ketamine has pretty literally saved my life. It has not only lifted me from the depression, it gave me my thinking brain back and has allowed me to have confidence again and make decisions again and make logical choices. I could write about this forever and I’m sure I will write about this in a much longer fashion somewhere else, but to keep it t simple, I feel more like myself in a more sustained fashion than I have in more than 20 years.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer this year and still in the throes of chemotherapy. I still have the nagging fear in the back of my brain. But I have an intense feeling of gratitude. Grateful for my husband who has taken the ‘ in sickness’ part of our vows to heart. My friends who live 1000 of miles away provide support with endless gifts, cards, and calls; all of which are never taken for granted. Finally I am grateful to have excellent health insurance, cannot imagine going through this horrid diagnosis and also having to consider finances when making decisions.

The first thing that comes to mind is definitely finding out my Crohns was active again. It was absolutely devastating- I didn’t function well and felt physically terrible for probably a couple months after. I don’t want to do the silver lining thing where I talk about how it was really a blessing in disguise because it really did and does just suck. Starting a biologic again, having to remain covid precautious, not going to any weddings or events, having to maintain distance with friends, wearing a mask when it’s 90 out…. Yeah it has been really poopy. AND I am so incredibly proud of myself for how I have navigated it this time. I have so much more me, and I have been able to move through the grief and be present with what’s happening instead of living in or yearning for a future where I “don’t have Crohns”. I feel like I’ve had a chance to re-do last time in a much more nourishing way. I still wish I didn’t have to go through it, but I am grateful for the way I am going through it.

This year a grandmother was diagnosed with dementia. It is still very early but the changes she has had to make have definitely taken a toll on her mentally. It has made me feel like helping her out down her life in pictures and words. Although it is a sad situation we try to make the best of it.

I initially had trouble thinking of a a single significant experience. In many ways, it's been a mostly uneventful year, which I suppose is a good thing. I haven't been bored, and life is generally steady and easy (comparatively), so I have no complaints. As I ponder this, though, and lest I sound trite and vain, I think the most significant experience has been one that has evolved throughout the year: confronting and contemplating my aging body. I'm just about 9 months shy of my 60th birthday, and I have always thought of myself as younger than I am, still vibrant and capable of most things I want to do. My weight has gone up and down throughout my life, but I've done moderate exercise to keep myself in reasonably good shape, and generally my health has been very good. This year, however, some changes have crept in. While I've never had to take regular prescription medications, I've developed a form of reflux and now take a daily Prilosec, aided by lots of Tums; I've had to restrict my diet accordingly (curtailing my beloved coffee, tomatoes, citrus fruits, carbonated beverages and more). My exercise routine has gotten more sporadic, and my weight is creeping up beyond what I'm comfortable with. And probably for all those reasons, my joints are becoming more stiff when I first rise from a chair, taking a few seconds to warm up as I move. But the most obvious and dramatic change this year has been in my physical appearance, as I've let my hair go from a dyed reddish brown to its natural gray. I began the process about midway through COVID, and decided to take it to its full conclusion this year as a way to save money (since I'd taken a new job that significantly decreased my income). I honestly didn't think too much about it at the time, as it seemed imminently practical. I was shocked at my own reaction to it; stunned by my appearance in the mirror for at least the first 6 months. Who is this old lady? I've since experimented with hairstyles and have finally landed successfully on the sassy little pixie cut that I have loved across the years. Just before going gray I was wearing it in a more traditional curly bob, but once the gray came out it was far too "little old lady" for my taste. Several months in, finally I can look in the mirror without shock, and even appreciate the easy care of this style and color. But combined with the other physical changes, I have contemplated my aging in a new way. And it's made me understand anew the pressures of society for us to look and act and be younger, at any cost. I have friends my age and older who still color their hair and do other things to hold back the inevitability of aging, and they call me brave. Am I brave, or am I giving up? Am I brave, or cheap? Am I brave, or stupid for letting my age show? I don't know if I'm any of those things. What I am, is me. Maybe a bit more "see-able" with some of the trappings of youth stripped away. A bit more vulnerable, to be sure. But maybe a bit wiser, a bit tougher, a bit more bad-ass, thumbing my nose at those imagined voices (including my own self-talk) that whisper, "Don't let yourself go. Don't let your age show." I'm working to go beyond the fear, beyond the defiance, and into embracing this next season. Who knew a change in hair color would prompt such questions?

I switched jobs this year. This was significant because I loved my old job and my old colleagues/boss, but the job wasn't going to take me into a role that inspired me. I opted to change companies into a more advanced role in a job that sounded exciting. It was very sad to leave and scary to make such a big change, but in the end, I am extremely grateful to have desired skills, to be able to leave a job I loved and find a new job to love, and to continue to grow in my career. I am also grateful that I was able to make objective decisions about this change - that's a place in which I see personal growth.

I had a major heart atttack. Since I am relatively young, in pretty good shape, led a healthy life, and I have two little girls it was quite earth shattering. It was also my biggest fear since I saw a friend f mine pass in front of me from one many years ago. Luckily my outlook is excellent but it has been hard. I had to go on anti anxiety drugs and ended up in counseling. It affected me that I was face to face with my own mortality. Really put things in even more perspective for me than before. I am trying to live my life to the fullest and trust the drs. That I am really in good shape. Also, I have learned to stop asking “why me?” As most everyone will have a why me experience in their life. The dr side even though you lived a healthy life people still die of stuff all the time. It really sank in to my brain that we really don’t have that much control over our fate and made me even more appreciative of what I have.

Moving out of COVID in Sep 2022, I am scheduled to travel for work again starting the 1st week of November. While I knew I was putting on a little weight during the last 2 years and look puffier and flabbier in the mirror, I didn’t really think it would impact me going back to work. Yesterday (Sep 24) I tried on the pants from a selection of work clothes that I would wear for work at national meetings, etc., and found that they were more “snug” than expected. So much so that that even a safety pin would not be enough to hold the pants closed enough to mange the zipper. I am appalled and devastated that I have let myself get so far out of shape. I am angry with myself but hopeful that I can turn this around from a health perspective. Maybe now within the next month (Oct 22) but soon and forever.

A multi-state move that involved us buying and selling a house in the midst of the frenzy, downsizing, and moving from a beloved house and location where we had been for the last 20 years. We also pushed a chick out of the nest earlier than expected, and had another one move with us that was unexpected. It elicited all sorts of emotions. Stress. Relief. Grief. More stress. Frustration. Gratitude. Peace, and even small snippets of joy here and there. And we're still not settled.

Recovering from my own mental health and learning to speak my mind better even if it disappoints people. It made me feel ugly and unsafe for a very long time but after a great number of months it started to feel slowly easier. As I discovered recently, missing my antidepressants for a few days makes me feel poorly, and it worries me that my normality of 'floating' in the clouds and feeling very calm is actually not 'me' at all but a version of me created by the pills.

I was told on July 7th that a C-T scan showed the presence of abnormal tissue in my uterus which put me at high risk for uterine cancer and it took 2 months to have me go through an unsuccessful biopsy and then a hysteroscopy to finally tell me that I had a benign uterine polyp and no further testing or treatment was needed. From the day I had the C-T scan I was faced with a decision. I could continue my habit of being a super worrier of all things related to health, which in the past had created hypochondriacal symptoms in my body including unexplainable pains and shortness of breath, all which never lead to any specific diagnoses. OR, I could create a new way of looking at this possible glitch by feeling optimistic and realizing that I did have the strength to deal with whatever the test results revealed. I practiced visualizing being in a safe place where I had support and love to guide me through potential cancer treatment. I continued to exercise regularly, it helped that this occurred in the months of July and August during a fabulous Chicago summer, and planned and executed 5 trips either with my wife and friends or on my own. I was able to pass the 8 weeks with almost zero anxiety, believing whatever was in store for me would be something I would survive. And looking back on the experience, I am very grateful for the initial C'T results which changed the way I handled a potentially extreme anxiety producing scenario. I have a new sense of strength and confidence in myself that is incredibly precious.

My mom suffered from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a hardening of the lungs, for the past 5 years. She worsened, slowly losing her freedoms. She stopped going outside. Then she stopped coming to the table to eat with the family. She stopped walking to the bathroom next to her bedroom. Later she stopped being able to sit up in bed. As her lungs hardened, she couldn't move without her oxygen levels dropping to dangerous levels. Imagine your world shrinking in this manner, while your brain was still functioning well. She died on June 25th. While it was heartbreaking to lose her, it was more traumatic to watch her suffer.

My sister died. I feel everything. My regrets and grief are complicated, I wish I stood up for myself better. I wish we were closer. I wish I understood her better. I wish she let me in. I wish she was a better person. I wish she was a better mom. I wish I was a better daughter.

I quit my job and decided to start my own business this year. Writing it down that way makes it sound more significant than I've treated it, but it's an accurate description - I've been passing this off as "I'm just doing some consulting work" but like - I started an LLC! I bring in clients! I pay quarterly taxes! I'm really glad I took this step now - rather than a few years from now. It was a stressful few months adjusting to the pace and the anxiety of bringing in clients, but I think I'm starting to better understand myself and how I work. I hope that soon, I'll be able to be more proactive with seeking out work I actually *want* to do, and be more confident not jumping at every opportunity - like I'll start to feel confident that if I don't say yes to everything, more opportunities will come along. It's beaten down and lifted up my confidence, and I feel, like Billie Eilish says, "happier than ever" - but really, I just feel calmer and more stable, and less panicked about what my career will look like. It could look like this for a long time, and I'd be ok with that - there are other important and interesting things I'm doing with my life, and this is important and interesting too.

My mother passed away after caring for her for 10 years. Heartbroken, relived she was no longer suffering, feeling lost.

Facing my childhood sexual abuse. I feel empowered and in pain

Coved forced me to quit my job. I am very resentful.

Wow. Such a big question. Rightvafter this time lastvyesr, i put mybhusbandcin resite care for 2 weeks. Hechas Alzheimers and he hadcbeen hallucinating for 72 hours. I needed a break. The months grew tougher. I elected to put him in memory care in March. It was gut wrenching. I alternate between relief, resentment (i had delayed health issues as I cared for him and now my condition is alot worse) guilt and a myriad of other emotions. Im 13 years younger than him. So yes, there is resentment. Im still working. I miss our incredible marriage. It is lonely and frankly, weird. I feel gypped. It hurts.

Most significant to me personally was the car accident I was in. Just driving home, and this guy ran the red light, hitting me broad-side in RC. I had minor injuries, but I am afraid of driving through that intersection now. And I was SO sad that no one stopped! At least 4 other cars witnessed that hit-and-run and none stopped. Just makes me lose faith in humanity. I am, of course, so thankful to be OK. But I am missing my car SO much. Not just the many years we should have had together, but the freedom & independence that little car provided for me. I miss it so much. ETA: Between Day 1 & Day 10 I got a used little SUV. It's actually a good car & one that I like. It's older (2012) but in very good shape. I'm getting used to it, but a lot can change in 10 days, much less a year!!

I celebrated my 16th anniversary as a priest this year. It was the first time it was celebrated publicly. Some years I didn't even remember the date and other years I was too sad or hurt or angry to even imagine a celebration. But this year there were acknowledgments and cards and a blessing. Even more, this year I am priesting enough to fill my heart and overfill my plate. So September 16 was a good day this year and I am grateful for Vanessa who sees me and the people of Trinity who have taken me to their hearts as their priest.

My sister died. It was somewhat unexpected, she had cancer but had gone through a harrowing surgery and we thought it was gone. I hadn't spoken to her really since 2007, I sent her a card saying I was sorry, but I'm devastated that we will never be able to be friends again. it also made me realize I may have little time left.

I got fired from my job and I felt resentful for how they chose to fire me because I dealt with a lot of difficult emotions in that heightened moment, because it was done in an unjustified and cruel way. I also felt relieved that the universe stepped in and removed me from something that I didn’t need in my life, and redirected me to a season full of love shortly after. I was reminded of the triviality of a job and that there are more experiences out there for me, and that I can leave things that aren’t serving me in ways I’d like them too even if it isn’t the worst possible situation. As much as it’s hard to change a current situation, especially in a job, there are always more opportunities that cone especially with the help of a clear mind.

Sincerely, what happened in the last year? I guess "the kids went back to school" stands out. Relieved and scared? I don't think the safety protocols are anywhere near where they need to be, but the alternative is another year of losing my mind. I wish there was a safer alternative, but then opting into that alternative ALSO feels bad, since leaving public school hurts everyone. Oh, also we went to Ireland and that was lovely.

We finally got to take our trip to Svalbard and the Arctic. Amazing, incredible and made us appreciate all the natural beauty even more. We also had a chance to spend time with our special group of travelers and adventurers. It was definitely inspirational.

This is my first experience on 10 Q, and this is an ideal question for me at this stage in my life. A significant recent experience was a 6 week cross country road trip that I did with my puppy Charlie. ("Travels with Charle") This followed several years of a miserable divorce, and I needed to restart my life. In a sense, the road trip was similar to what Tibetan Buddhists described as the Bardo. The time between one life and another life. In Tibetan tradition the Bardo is exists because it is difficult to let go of one's attachment to a previous life. The road trip allowed me to do that. While hiking on trails through mountains or while driving along beautiful remote areas, I rarely listened to music or podcasts. I looked at the landscapes around me and experienced a feeling of awe. The experience of "be here now" allowed me to relinquish my attachment to "be there then."

I taught a class of beautiful preschoolers. It has its challenges, but overall it was such a wonderful experience to share stories, games, art, etc with them and really just to BE with them. I miss them.

My daughter told me she believes there really isn't anyone in charge any more - people just do what they want. She may be right. The significant experience is ongoing - my husband is very ill and I think the next two weeks will tell us which way it is going. It could be bladder cancer, and a test or Thursday will answer that one way or the other. After 55 years of marriage I can't stand the slight possibility of being without him. There is always darkness before the dawn, and I choose to trust it will get better and come home. I am grateful for loving children who are visiting him as I write this. Together we created three beautiful human beings - intelligent and kind people. And they they created brought nine grandchildren to our lives. I feel blessed. My children never went to bed hungry no matter how hard times were and neither have their children. I feel blessed.

Wow , I can see that this is going to delve deep. Okay , I am a divorced Jewish woman who has 5 adult children. They are spread all over the map. Last year two of my 5 became Baptized . It was hard for me to accept. I did eventually , but I keep this secret from my parents and most of my friends and family. It would get ugly and difficult for my children if I shared this information. This has had a profound effect on what I can share with my parents amd other members of my family

I received tenure at work. I didn’t think that it would affect me that much but it does give me relief. It does also allow me to think of myself as a leader. I can begin to think of nurturing both my students and my colleagues.

I underwent therapy and have learned to let my past go. I am no longer feeling painful of my past and have forgiven all those who have harmed me. That said, I choose who is around me and those that aren't healthy for me, are no longer around me. I have found peace of mind and happiness and have a deep sense of gratitude for all that I have now and for those who are around me and love me. I had a lot of doubt about whether I would ever get here but get here, I did.

My father died in June. My brother died in April of 2021, so now it’s just my mom and me. This all just reminds me how time is running out on all of us, but I’m not quite ready for that realization. I’m not ready for it to be only me who’s left after my mom goes, whenever that will be.

My ex partner fell in love. We were still good friends, but then our relationship changed. I was full of fear to loose him as my good old friend. I'm full of worries. I don't feel save in my existance as a mother and a part of my family. I feel lost.

My youngest grandson said he wanted to have a Bar Mitzvah.

I have had multiple physical challenges including surgery. It has confirmed my faith, reinforced my feelings of having lived an entitled and privileged existence for the past 74 years, but am realizing that ride my be coming to an end. I remain grateful, but also scared. I have lost some of my joie de vivre. I can't say that I am resentful nor inspired, just physically hurting and sad that by body is not being a happy camper anymore.

I'll focus on something that has happened to my best friend, both because it deserves note in anything I write about this last year, and because it has really impacted me emotionally. My closest friend, 46 of our 51 years spent as friends, hopped over a small mud puddle . . . and landed on her face. She was puzzled, as how can one not just hop over a mud puddle? what happened? Since then, she has slowly found she is totally insecure about falling, unable to step down even a couple of inches without support. For a long time, she didn't seek out an explanation, as she assumed it was psychosomatic, fear based, or maybe inner ear based. Then she went to Disneyland with her little family this spring and found that it got worse as the day wore on, as they walked more and more (she had assumed that if she just walked more, her insecurity would lessen). As an observer, she walks very stiffly, like she can't bend her ankles or knees, and very slowly. Her Disneyland trip led her to finally visit a neurologist, which led to a devastating diagnosis of degenerative, progressive, genetic disease: sca3 ataxia. She will see her ability to walk decline as her brain connection with her feet, then legs, deteriorates; then she'll lose dexterity in her hands, and then her eyes and ability to swallow. She has a life-expectancy of 10 - 15 years at best. This is, of course, devastating for her. She has an 11 year old daughter, and she's horrified that she'll have to say goodbye to her mom early in her adult life. She's afraid of losing her ability to walk and drive, of being independent. She was an athletic young woman, a gymnast, a fit and vibrant person. Me . . . well, she and I have had plans since we were wee that we'd grow old together in our matching rocking chairs, complaining about our arthritis. We have always been there for each other through all trials, but this is the ultimate trial, huh? I will be there. In every way she lets me. I will cart a portable scooter with us so we can travel, I'll carry her bags and arrange all of the accommodations. But I am hurting with the loss of my future with my friend, of having her in my life as my parents age. I can't stop borrowing loneliness from the years without her. I can't imagine the world without her.

I tried to resolve the conflict with my son and his wife and me. I tried family constellation therapy and thought I was making progress. Then I could see it was hopeless. I am so sad, losing my son and grandson. His wife feels I'm competition and has a dysfunctional relationship with her own family. All I can do is wait and see if he understands what's happening and decides to change it. Heartbreaking, since he and Damian are so unhappy.

Phillip and I moved to our first home together in North Carolina. I feel incredibly grateful for this opportunity to start afresh somewhere new and explore what life with Phillip might include.

I had hip replacement surgery on both hips. Very grateful I can walk again.

I decided to take title of artist to fight back against the title I never chose of old woman. Taking it on fights against my introversion. I have accepted invites from Berea arts council to show in three exhibitions. I’ve painted 2 fire hydrants to get exposure. My chair in the tailless dog book store is getting a lot of notice and I’ve been invited to be included in their studio space. Due to the price and possible Covid exposure, I’m hesitating. It’s a very recent decision and I’m still very uncertain as to how to proceed. I’m still very isolated. Covid has gone nowhere but people are surviving mostly. Hardly anyone is wearing masks. I think a 72 yo is at greater risk and I choose not to chance it. We are all told that eventually all of us will get it and my reaction remains “not me”.

we had the last dallas video fest I was grateful

Significant. Past year. My wife's leukemia has returned, and we've started a new round of treatment for that (I'm writing this from the hospital). My daughter has decided to be a boy, and I'm dreading the arrival of CPS (because the governor is a son of a bitch). I had a panic attack standing in line at the market yesterday (I've started making my own placebo's, because I hear they're only 15% less effective than mood altering drugs, and I can write my own prescription immediately). So I'm a strange combination of pissed/resigned/depressed. It's been a lousy decade, and this has been a topper.

Two hips replaced, giving me the opportunity to reclaim my health and athleticism. I am thrilled. And challenged to follow through !!!

I turned 50 this year. That by itself is no so momentous. But I have turned it into a year of reflection and growth. I started therapy in March. I made a decision to become the vice-president of JTConnect (which means saying No to lots of other things for several years). I've worked a lot to try to answer the question, "What do I want?" which is one of the hardest questions I've ever tried to answer. I spent time meditating, journaling, and using a program called Intensati. I stopped doing keto and started doing intuitive eating. It has all been intense at times, but has overall felt like the right path.

My best friend got married. It was a really painful experience because I’d already felt significantly overlooked by her before then, but this cemented the feeling. Afterwards, she moved to Israel and I decided we’d grown too far apart, and she had nothing to offer me anymore, so I severed all communication with her. Eventually, I started reintegrating her into my life, but it was always in the shadow of the fact that I hadn’t really forgiven her or gotten past our differences. I was consistently judging her lifestyle/being disappointed in her. Cutting her out led to a larger movement within my life wherein I alienated myself from many friends who’d disappointed me, or stopped putting in effort (resulting in relationships disintegrating because they weren’t putting effort in either, apparently) and became incredibly reclusive. The only light in my life was my teaching job in Shulamith, but that being my entire social life was super unhealthy. I now recognize that this experience hurt me, but also pushed me to the next stage of my young adulthood. Taking stock, I see that I was not happy with the isolated track I took this year. I’m still not sure how to be happy, but I know it begins with accepting people as they are, and accepting myself in the process. It’s okay to be upset, but that doesn’t mean the people who upset you are villains with no place in your life. Acceptance is my key for this coming year. So I suppose the experience led me to eventual growth.

Nearly all my friends have exited my life. Yes, I’ll admit to some resentment. At the same time, it feels like a necessary house cleaning. Why did I ever work so hard to hang onto friends who mistreated me? Now I’m looking at how I might want to further sweep things clean. It feels deeply self-affirming somehow.

The most significant experience of the past year has surely been taking my first 9th graders through their exams and saying goodbye to the. The second half of the school year was gruelling yet beautiful. It seemed like we all new that we had something special as the year came to a close. We often talked about how far we had left and we enjoyed each others company. We laughed, had fun and shared many experiences. At the very end the exams were a killer for me and for them, but it was an experience that we shared. It was also kind of an exam for me. I was so nervous. They were nervous. During the exams I realized how special our relationship now was. And boy was I proud of them. Not just of how most of them performed, but of who they had grown into as people. I truly love them. As the exams ended we had our final 'party'. Staying over night at the school to watch movies and have fun. We did. We cooked food, watched American History X played hide'n'seek outside in the dark. And we stayed up all night - going to the beach at dawn, singing songs. It was beautiful. Then came the goodbyes. The graduation ceremony where more than a hundred people showed up. I gave the greatest speech I will ever give, according to Leif. I cried. A lot. I cried through this whole proces. I held all the students in my arms until they left. Now they are gone from my life. Yet they still come to visit. All of this feels like sorrow. Like mourning. The worst of my mourning is over, yet it still lingeres. I will never forget the time I had with those kids. An experience as beautiful as this inspires me and makes me grateful. After this I can not complain about my life. At least I had this. And yet I know I have a lot more to come. Maybe my own kids. Maybe I will feel similarly with my new group of kids. This has taught me that putting my soul into my work satisfies me in a very deep way. Connecting to people and helping them. I think I have coverede some of the basics of a content life: Having a meaningful job where I get to help people directly. The dark side of all of this is of course that I am afraid that that was the mountain peak. That it will be downhill from here. But I believe I will bounce back. I have to stay strong. Be a warrior, and not let my feelings get in my way.

I wrote a book! And it got published. And in the process I learned that I have a voice.

Back surgery. Grateful. The anticipation of having relief and fear of the surgery and recovery was a lot, and when it finally happened; all was ok. Ok, amongst a lot of chaos and hurt, and glad it is behind me. It also brought a lot of gifts and wisdom. I’m better all around for having the surgery and moving overall well. Must stay on track and keep up with the physical aspect, that’s so much mental strength. I am grateful.

I had two laconic strokes in November. I am thankful and relieved that there were no lasting effects. I am in fear of it happening again. I am grateful that my son called me and heard how confused I was and then got me some help after he had me pull over.

In the last year my life has taken a beyond drastic change , I lost my middle brother and we had such a special bond and I miss him beyond words so much , it took me along time to recovery and Ile never fully will , because of this I feel like I have lost myself and had to learn a new way of life without him and it hurts everyday and I think because of all my sadness has changed me but each day I still try and try and try so I am resentful because we couldn’t stop him and I didn’t hear from him before it happend and I have so many regrets and I caint continue like that so each day I try my best and I try to share his story and his memories and Maby help somebody along the way but today a little over a year ago I am a lot stronger and I just try and stay positive

I worked in Wyoming for three months and my entire life changed as a result. The people there made me really question the direction I was headed in, and it was the reset I needed to re-evaluate my life goals. Since then, I've made some major changes to my life (ended bad relationships, moved, gotten more serious with hobbies, etc).

Started my masters program. I’m excited and curious (expectant?) about my future.

I became a member of a synagogue after being on a waiting list for 2 1/2 years. I am grateful and feel that I am where I belong -- finally.

Connecting with María, Patri (Sara, Ana…). It’s transformed my mindset into one of service. It feels so good, purposeful and like I’ve made good friends.

After waiting years due to no money and then Covid, finally took a trip from London to Geneva by train and spent three weeks in the French Alps/on Lake Geneva. It is definitely a luxury to be able to go on holiday but it was really significant as I've given up flying for climate reasons and thought I might no longer be able to go on as adventurous holidays but this was really wonderful. Train journeys are as much a part of the holiday.

Wow, so much happened this past year! I completed a whole lot of grad school classes, traveled to Israel and learned a TON with my grad program, hosted countless Jewish gatherings, interned at Repair the World, and started my second year of grad school. I also just lost Grandpa Roger. The year was really filled with a lot of emotions.

After 18 years of mutual love and affection, my cat died. Actually, we chose to put her down because she wasn't doing well. My daughter got to say goodbye and be there for the cat she'd known her entire life. She didn't get that option when it was time to say goodbye to her late father. It was a bittersweet moment.

I started to teach a musical theatre movement class in Noho and Burbank. It has been challenging and at times uplifting. I see that I can motivate/inspire handicap seniors to exercise at whatever level and it yields positive results. I am grateful f because this forces me to re-join the world in a positive way twice a week for several hours.

I had cataract surgery in both eyes and experienced a miraculous difference in my eyesight immediately after the first surgery, and then even better 2 months later after the second eye was corrected. For the first time, I could see clearly and utilize both eyes together for depth perception, colors, distance vision, etc. Also, because my surgeon put bifocal lenses into both eyes, I went from wearing glasses for EVERYTHING to not needing them at all in most situations, not even driving or other distance reading (movie credits, road signs) or reading most things up close. I wear one pair now only to avert fatigue at the computer, and need only a very low magnification, and for reading small print (again, at a much lower magnification), both from the Dollar Store. 9 months later: no more tri- and bifocals, no prescriptions, no expenses for glasses, and no problems! Amazing! Very grateful.

Roe v Wade was overturned. I remember so clearly- I was at Kala that morning and I saw the breaking news on my phone right before I was to leave. I listened to a podcast about it while driving home to make sure I understand correctly what was happening. As soon as I told Riccardo I burst into tears. We put on the news and I couldn't believe what I was seeing/hearing. Riccardo and I took the subway into the city and I couldn't stop crying on the train. I was looking around at all the people near us on the train and all of the women looked so sad. The mood was definitely down. I went to a rally that night in Washington Sq Park and it felt so powerful to be surrounded by thousands of angry New Yorkers, a lot of whom were crying, a lot of whom expressed their rage, and we marched. I felt defeated, infuriated, scared and sad for all of the women who this will and have affected in so many states, and just helpless.

At the beginning of 2022, my husband got diagnosed with throat cancer. It was starting to spread to his lymph nodes so he had to get chemotherapy in addition to his radiation treatments. This all took place in the Spring. Thankfully, I have been working from home so I was able to be his caregiver. He did wonderfully, what a trooper he is. I'm still impressed with him. I have so much to say about this whole ordeal but in the end, he's cancer free!!! The chemo doctor told my husband he was like Superman. Amazing, yet terrifying experience. I am still in awe. My husband wants to truly live life and he went skydiving for the first time this year. He's inspired to do all of the things he's always wanted to do, and it's affecting me too.

In June, I spent ten days alone in the beach house in a tiny fishing village. It was quiet and calm. It was slow. I was scared at first, the silence irked me. The darkness at night made me feel tiny. But gradually, I learned to slow down. To breathe deeper. To relish in my own existence. I think it was valuable. In many ways, I've learned to slow down this year. I learned to embroider. I am perfecting the art of the sourdough bun. I reached 30 and I have all the time I need as long as I continue to live.

My wife got a new job in October 2021 as a medical receptionist which has provided greater stability, higher pay, a more steady work schedule, and has contributed to a better mental and emotional state for her. It has been a relief to have the extra money, less stress, and overall a better situation. Plus, it’s much more in her wheelhouse and she really enjoys it, for which I’m grateful.

My son went to Norway for a semester abroad. I'm happy and inspired and hopeful that this will be good for him. He has been disappointed in his college experience, so I hope this changes that experience for him. I hope it gives him wonderful memories and something to be proud of.

Landed a full-time job! After working only part-time, and struggling, this was major. Most definitely grateful and even more relieved. PLUS: it's a work from home gig! I've never worked from home before, so I was pretty sure I would like that aspect, and I really do, especially this past winter, when I didn't have to worry about road conditions, shoveling out my car, etc. So very grateful.

My health is getting better: The results are I am able to do more. This is now my most important goal for the new year.

I started a new job and am feeling like I am contributing to my life more financially, as well as emotionally. It has brought less stress to my life.

It’s so funny to see the difference a year makes. If you’d asked me two weeks ago, I would have said getting/ being pregnant and turning 30 were the “big” life events, but our little man Archie showed up 10 days early and even though he has only been in our life for 8 days, we somehow can’t imagine life without him. Our world has changed and sometimes that’s hard, but mostly it’s beautiful. We love him so much and although I’m trying to race head first into “normal + a baby” I’ve had no choice but to slow down and say he and I and Ben are all that matters - the rest of the world can wait for a little while. Our days and nights are full of feeding and changing and snuggling him (and both watching/ hoping he sleeps). It’s an all consuming sort of existence right now, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. This time will pass too quickly and right now, I’m trying to savor the sweet moments, lean into Ben in the hard moments, and tell everyone else to wait while we bask in the beauty of a new life’s beginning.

I feel I have had very few significant experiences these past few years, I am taken up daily with the chronic pain I experience, this occupies my every waking moment, it is exhausting. I am dealing with this by numbing out, I have not had intense feelings for a very long time, it’s like I can’t access them because if I do it feels will be too much. I do intend to experience emotions again, but I need to build up capacity within my body and let go of all the holding patterns I have,

My partner Hannah had a stroke. We were both so scared, but she made it through. For the month after that, I basically lived with her so that I could look after her and take care of things in the house. It was a trying time, but it also brought us closer. Hannah didn’t think she could live with a partner again, but that month caused her to rethink. We got engaged roughly two months after her stroke, and that might not have happened without that time spent together. It was a terrible thing that happened and it has also led to some good. When I look back, I don’t often remember the fear, just the strengthened sense of closeness that came after.

Getting canned a week before my birthday only reinforced what I already felt: a burning desire to be my own boss and to stop struggling and stop suffering through corporate ladder climb, but rather to work smarter and for recurring streams of passive revenue. To work where I have independence, exercise creativity, and get rewarded for results. I am very grateful to be in a position where I can easily take 6 months (after busting my ass for 7 years with hardly a break) and launch a real estate syndication company, tiny publishing enterprise, and a YouTube channel.

The illness, and death, of my daughter-in-law, was sudden, and hard. Given the immediate reaction, and how protective they were of their family unit, it was hard to know what was happening, or be properly supportive. The only thing we could do was nod, say "yes" and support their decisions even when we didn't agree, or didn't know enough to agree/disagree. Now, we're working to help son and grandchild move forward.

Moving!! Our whole lives feel different in many tiny ways, but the distance is really present in the everyday. I’m grateful for what this has done for Ryan, grateful for the forward movement in my career, and our financial security. That part is very humbling while hard earned. I can’t deny how hard this has been. The changes, upheaval, and adjustments haven’t always been better than our last step, and that part has been hard to release. It’s difficult to know we’re in a transition period, I don’t do well with uncertainty.

The experience that rocked me to my core this year was losing my grandma, Betty Jean. It is definitely shaping up to be a watershed moment in my life. The only other person theretofore in my life who had passed away was my other grandma, Elaine, who was very dear to me but only part of my life for the seven years I was planet-side before she died. Betty Jean was part of my life for twenty-seven. I was just remarking to Cricket yesterday how strange it is that one day, someone is an active participant in your life--they have opinions, they're up to date on news, they're part of the discussion of life ongoing--and the next day, they are anecdotal. They cannot share news or opinions. They get trapped, inevitably, in the past. The pain of Grandma dying is pain like I have never experienced before. Maybe I'm lucky, never experiencing it until now. It's an ocean of pain. Some days I float on top of the water; some days I'm dragged to the turbulent bottom. And I just never get to have her back, alive. And there is no one left here who understands me in the unique way she did. The pair of us were old romantics, theologians, optimists, biddies who loved gossip. There were things I shared with her that I feel I'll never share again because there is no one like her. I just feel longing, untethered longing that ends in a big question mark, all the time.

I watched my son reunite with his father after 12 years of separation. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I'm incredibly happy that my son is able to build that relationship with his dad. On the other hand, there are so many unresolved emotions, thoughts, feelings & memories that it's hard for me to not feel all of those past feelings like they were brand new. I'm not certain how I feel.

Getting accepted to the Council For Relationships program. Very glad to have been accepted!

My three-month break from work, I would say. I am grateful for it, though I am nervous about whether I will be good at working again. One more week!

After nine years renting, we finally purchased our home. This meant that we finally have AC, which may seem like nothing but is huge when you live with 100 degree weather and wildfire smoke. This purchase also means more stability and several cosmetic changes to our house that solidify our home as a place of activity and security. It’s amazing. I am so grateful for my husbands business and everyone who has helped us get to this point.

I turned 50 and fell in love unexpectedly, with someone who is not my husband, even though I have been married a long time. It has been both wonderful and terrible. It led to marriage counseling and many hard conversations and a lot of reflection. I have spent 10 months processing what to do with all these feelings.

We've decided to retire at the end of the school year. I'm excited, relieved, terrified, and worried - happy to know that I'm almost finished with one chapter, but I don't have a clue what the next one holds...

This year we went to Disneyland and I was so fat and out of shape. I was miserable. 5 months later I had weight loss surgery and am currently down 35 pounds and 10 weeks into my weightloss journey.

My mother moved from Arizona to Washington. I'm grateful she's here, nervous about making our plan to combine homes work, and hopeful that it'll make the coming years meaningful with a chance to get to know each other better.

In the last year the most significant thing that happened was that my partner died. I was in shock for months and only began to grieve at the beginning of summer 2022. Still figuring this out.

My oldest son became estranged from me and his siblings for reasons that confuse me. He said we had excluded him from a family vacation at the Dell after seeing pictures that I posted on IG. We had not excluded him. Q was already there and we saw him for dinner with Grace. He never responded to multiple apology’s, messages, phone calls, emails not just from me but from everyone. This went on for 7 months and I suspect would still be happening except that Katherine was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor and had to be flown to Mayo. He told Lou that he was letting it go but there was no resolution or explanation and it hangs like a smothering blanket over us. I walk on egg shells because I don’t know what caused it so I might do it again. I have searched my soul and I know there must. Something deeper for Trav than this. I hope he heals as I hope I do.

Arthritis in my lower back. Physical therapy, acupuncture, pain management, walker-style wheelchair, cane, 🧘‍♀️ meditation, medication. Slowed me down, more awareness, moments of depression, and relying on my husband. Judy and took more than a year to connect. Grateful and resentful at the same time NEED THE MOLDING AND SHAPING OF MY SPIRIT. A LESSON IN LIFE. A BIG ONE

I started a new job in January. In April, I was promoted to Vice President. It has affected everything. I didn't take the job thinking that I would ever reach this level, let alone in such a short period of time. I'm excited to have this opportunity. I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders - for the people who now report to me, for the company that I represent, for the people who we serve. I know that I've let my job take over many things in my life, to the detriment of my health and my relationships. Looking forward, I need to better balance my desire to do well in this job with my need to manage my health and my desire for a healthy relationship.

My husband passed away at the end of March. The prior October we were in Barcelona preparing to go on a cruise to Athens when he fell and broke his hip. It took a few days to get authorized for surgery. Because he had Parkinson’s, the medication‘s were off and I had trouble explaining the protocols for his meds. I think this was a lot of problems that he had. He became violent and aggressive and was restrained to the bed. Return to Los Angeles, and he passed away in March. He was in skilled nursing from thanksgiving to when he passed away in March This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. We donated his body to UCLA for medical research.

One of my beloved students died last October. It has been the most significant event of my life in many, many years. I had no idea what adult grief would feel like. The last time I really experienced grief of someone close to me was in 1984. This young woman had been undergoing chemo for nearly a year for an aggressive cancer. Every day during the summer, I would wake up and think "this is the day that I will hear that Haley died." But it didn't happen. Once week before she did, she texted me that she had one treatment left. I relaxed. Her death caught me completely by surprise. I had worked so hard with her during her treatments to get her graduated, and she did graduate, but not the way any of us wanted her to. She didn't get the commencement ceremony. We had planned a personal ceremony for when she was sufficiently recovered to actually walk. It never happened. I have become a friend of her mama, and that has made me feel important in Haley's life ongoing. I wish I had had a chance to hug her, but the pandemic made it impossible for me even to visit. We talked fairly often via Zoom, and text, also. I am still grieving, but from this, I have begun to feel more inside my own life in a way that I never have before. I made a few small changes to the area alongside my driveway: some arborvitae, some tea olives, two seed birdfeeders and two hummingbird feeders, two solar lanterns, and two solar sparklers. I can see them out of my kitchen window. I named the hummingbird "Henry". I see him often and have learned some things about him. The lights come on at night and make a fairly distressed view into something more magical. So, a gruesome year has yielded some small segments of happiness that I hadn't had in a long time, if ever. I am a different person. Far, far different.

Spending a month in Puerto Rico with my partner and feeling so inspired to move or at least spend more time outside of New York.

I got married! 9/3/2022. I am grateful and happy. My husband and I have been in a committed relationship for 13 years. We were already really married in heart and soul. Declaring it in front of a few friends and family, in a place that means a lot to both of us was truly a beautiful and meaningful experience.

It's hard to choose one. My dad died. In a way I feel all of those things. I am so very grateful for the last years I got to spend with him. The resentment is more towards my sister for not helping enough and then demanding I not feel resentful about it. I'm releived because he had no quality of life at the end, and I hated seeing him like that. And he inspired me to become and end-of-life doula, which launched me towards a new life, a new town, and a new community.

About 11 and a half months ago my mother, may her memory be a blessing, died on her 93rd birthday. Technically, this means I'm now an orphan. I'm grateful my sister and I were able to spend some time with her at the end, and that we saw her a few hours before she died. I was even able to fulfill her last request, providing her with ice cream and ginger ale, which she seemed to enjoy. The ongoing pandemic has meant I was not in synagogue to say kaddish, so I was unable to stand at services and be acknowledged through the year as a mourner like I would have been before COVID. I feel like I haven't really mourned her properly, and thinking about all this makes me feel sad.

So definitely a big year for something happening . I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December of 2021. Since then I have gone through 6 months of chemo, one week of radiation therapy, and Whipple surgery about 2 months ago. The recovery is not going great at the moment . I would like to think that I would be a survivor and I have felt strong about my survivorship so far - they tell me that they "caught everything" - but right now it is being a difficult recovery - challenging - what might say certainly gives pause to all other thoughts in life. Although I can't say that political and other environmental issues have changed all that much since I started answering these questions.

I made great friends at URJ Eisner Camp. I am super grateful for this, because I don’t usually make friends like this.

Bunny passed away in March after a fierce battle with cancer. At home, beloved by many. She had suggested 10Q to me last September, and I signed up, curious. When she passed away, I knew 10Q would come again, with its package of grief and reflection. This year has been a lot, and I've learned A LOT. There's a lot to do, and be, think about, and rest on. So... I guess, at least today, I'm hopeful.

Well I moved to France and I would suspect that might be the most significant experience that will happen to me this decade, and the last, and the next. I am AGGRESSIVELY grateful for my husband for incepting the idea in my head, bear with me but grateful for the pandemic for giving me the space to take a look at my life and say yes to the choice to move, and grateful to myself for cliff diving into Europe with no job or particular plan.

Well, this was the year of the Demise of the Cooper, when I blacked out on highway 280 and totalled my beloved Mini by sliding it against the concrete divider. This was about four or five weeks ago, and my first reaction was some odd trauma, a hyper-vigilance at certain mid-layer levels of the mind, as well as some anxiety about the terrible things that could have happened, including killing other people. It makes me shudder to say this even now, as it shou.d But now I find my momentum in working on Dreams of Africa and Welcome is increasing in steam. I am living on borrowed time for sure. This was always true, but an experience like this makes it perceived as more true by parts of the mind that can't really follow such philosophic al thoughts such as "every day is a gift" etc. There are parts of the mind that just don't believe things until they are more immediately real and present. Such is the case now. I am sitting at the Diridon Train Station, waiting for the 11:12 train that will take me up to San Francisco to spend an evening with Brian and Nicole, the latter of which I have not seen since this quasi-near-death experience. This is in line with holding my dear ones close in the aftermath of this crazy moment in my life.

Moving my mom to Independent living and selling her house. It was too burdensome to expect, and I endeavor to be sure my children do not have to do this for me.

Last Fall I took on a really hard work assignment as an Interim Deputy Director. It validated that consulting is the right direction for me - and that if I go back into an organization Deputy Director is the right role. But I worked hard and learned so much - for all of the challenges of the role it was absolutely worth it. Then in the winter I traveled for 5 weeks - it was an experience where I decided on something I wanted to do - volunteer in an animal sanctuary - and I was so proud of myself for making it happen and I loved every moment of travel. Again, this validated that consulting is right for me because it allows for this kind of travel. It's a powerful experience to want something, manifest it, and then have it be so wonderful. More recently, I just broke my ankle which is going to radically impact my fall and winter as I adjust to not being able bodied.

The significant experience I think of is my recent heartbreak that I thought was going to tear me apart. I wasn’t myself and didn’t value myself after I lost him. I blamed myself for losing my best friend, when in reality, it wasn’t my fault at all. I’m grateful I made it out of the storm looking back because I never imagined that I would. In the moment I thought that I was going to hurt forever. I’m all the things mentioned above. I’m grateful I’m living my live on the bright side now, I’m relieved that I made it through the storm, I’m resentful towards the way someone I lived could hurt me like that, and I’m inspired by the person I am today after going through that hard time

The most significant experience of the past year was my mom's battle with covid. She was hospitalized for 50+ days. She was in a coma for a long time. She was on a ventilator and later had a tracheotomy tube for breathing. The worst day was when we had to discuss the option to remove her from all life support equipment. At that point there was no certainty that she wouldn't have brain damage. There was the possibility that she'd need to be in a nursing home for the rest of her life. We chose to believe that God would bring her through it. And He did. The emotions surrounding this full 50+ days were a roller coaster, up & down & in a lot of twisty circles. Ultimately, relief that she is well and gratitude for the huge support community surrounding her, and for God's touch on her life. #blessed #covidsucks

I have lost both of my biological grandfathers this year. I feel traumatized by them both, and they were very different deaths, very different situations, but both in such quick succession was really hard. Watching my parents both stand to say Kaddish is really upsetting. I feel really sad. On the other hand, I also took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to South Africa this year, and feel inspired to keep doing the work I'm doing in education. I'm also so grateful for the opportunity to go abroad, especially after the last two years of pandemic hell.

Traveling after COVID. Hawaii in Feb and Yucatan pyramids with Seattle Family. Days with high school girlfriends. Time with family and friends So very grateful

I think I'm still recovering from Ash. I really liked them and although I know it's complicated with their health it really feels like they got what they wanted from me, sex, and then pushed me away. They just asked me where I'm going on holiday, and I want to say get fucked. Im now off on the holiday they invited me on, I booked and they then went on without me! I think I'm angry with them, I'm still a bit hurt but I'm glad to have had the experience. I really wanted it to work out and thought we had a special connection and now I feel like thar with Stuart and I'm scared of getting hurt again. But without Ash I would be more scared because yes it hurt but I'm ok, I felt the pain, I'm still feeling some of it, but ive moved on and I survived, I am ok. Because if I don't try and risk getting hurt, I won't get or learn anything. I won't feel resilient and I'll feel like I'm not trying to have connections I want with people.

I've been so ashamed of this for so long but I was cheating on my boyfriend weekly for 2.5 years with someone I thought I'd rather be with because I had such a passionate need for him. That guy turned out to not have any feelings for me and said he was interested in someone else so for the first time in my life I walked away from someone who hurt me. At first I was in incredible pain, feeling all the same rejection I felt from my childhood when my parents taught me that I could never be enough unless I lived exactly up to their ideals, and since I'd often fail to meet those standards, I clearly was never good enough. I chose to turn this set of weekly bad choices into something positive and got myself to therapy to figure out why I felt the need to seek affirmation and validation elsewhere when I truly did want a monogamous relationship. Since the break, I've learned a lot about myself and have realized why I did what I did. I finally feel like I can step up and be fully emotionally safe with one person. I also see now that the guy is out of my life just how addictive that dynamic was and how without that stress my physical and emotional health are so much better and stable. It's been a huge relief not to have to lie or hide parts of myself anymore from anyone and also not to try to be "good enough" to deserve love from anyone else because for the first time ever I'm starting to believe that who I am already deserves it. So while I did something truly wrong, I think that in the long run something right will come of it.

My cancer reappeared in the bone of my right iliac. To be honest, it terrifies me. Will I make it to 75? 70? Marshall graduates next year. I need to be there. I believe I will be but this shit scares me. I am brave. I keep going forward, But the "what-ifs" keep resounding in the back of my head. I want to see him get married. I want to be a grandmother (I will be a terrific grandmother!) Hoping the universe grants that wish.

Amongst all the achievements achieved in this past year the most significant experience has to have been the knee surgery (micro fracture arthroscopy endoscopy). It affected me mentally, emotionally and physically. It was a situation I had never thought I will find myself in. Netball was my everything and now I couldn’t play it for months. A famous saying says “everything happens for a reason” and as hard as it was I embraced the new journey I was about to embark with faith. In that period a person I held dearly in my life just walked out as if I never meant anything. It hurt so bad cause when I needed her the most she abandoned me but again not everyone that comes into your life comes to stay permanently. This experience has taught me patience and has made me value life even more. God will never give me a burden I cannot carry. And all the motivation, support and love from those around me got me through. I am grateful for this experience in more ways than one and I cannot wait for my come back. I cannot wait to see myself blossom and I cannot wait to go back on court. God only has plans for me to prosper and I believe this was his way of preparing me for something greater to come. “ Be Still And Know He Is God” #mycomebackstory🤞🏽

Just recently, I joined "the neighborhood" as part of Central Synagogue's online community, and it's been a real joy. I feel happy to be reconnecting to the Jewish community, and I look forward to learning and connecting more in the coming year.

My cat Nellie of 13 years crossed the rainbow bridge. Her health had deteriorated over the past year maybe 2. Summer came and she got worse. During her sickness it gave me such anxiety. I worried if I was doing right thing by living in Florida w/o her. I was worried when she’d pass or I’d have to make decision to put her to sleep. I ended up having to come back to cape. I’m grateful I got to be with her in her final moments. I’m grateful she got to see me and feel my love. I’m relieved she’s not suffering anymore. I miss her so much. I’m much lonelier in this house without her. I still expect to see her in window when I come home. I swear I see flashes of her in the house. She was my baby.

I started college and I'm now about a month in. It was an adjustment that I'm still getting used to. I'm grateful to be done with high school and I don't miss that experience. I'm having a hard time with relationships... like making new friends and trying to find my people is hard because I'm overthinking. The experience I had with friends in high school makes me second guess the ones I'm making here. I guess I'm just nervous that I care more about wanting to be friends with them than they do about me. It's not always like that and there are definitely moments where I feel like I've kinda found my people... it just ebbs and flows.

I experienced financial difficulties and received financial support from two people unexpectedly. I felt grateful, appreciative of the care, concern for my well being. One a long time friend , the other a cousin. I feel loved.

One of the racehorses, of whom we are part-owners (Tap The Gavel), won a race on July 2nd at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. It’s a major event because my wife and I, being early empty nesters, had not had too many “empty nester” experiences due to the COVID lockdown. Not only was this an experience we could share, but a win, of course, is an unexpected one. We put ourselves in position to experience something wonderful, but you can never anticipate such a terrific turn of events. We hope that win becomes the start of a new, wonderful “empty nester” time in our lives.

Getting back into the world after the traumatic pandemic seclusion. It was scary coming back, getting back to temple. I left my position of Rabbi's assistant just prior to the pandemic to take care of my adult son with Down syndrome, so I was dealt a double wammy of changes. Not working, and bringing him home from unsuccessful experiences in group homes. It was a difficult time, but one I do not regret. I am now grateful for these experiences -- and I have learned a lot about myself, my son and how we deal with life together during this time. It was a good time, although I pray that we do not need to go through anything like that again.

Husband returned home. It hasn’t been good honestly. After i got over the shock of him leaving, i had developed routine. I liked it. I felt better about myself. I failed to keep out up upon his return. It did spark a change in employment. Much less money but I’m back caring for babies and it is amazing! Has had a very positive impact on my day to day life.

Getting divorced, melissa served along w a TRO, I’m putting my life back together again. It’s been hard but I am so grateful of myself to be strong enough To finally break the cycle of yrs of abuse and hidden domestic violence for me and my kids Now my house is a home again

A close family member died and his wife limited the funeral to her, his children and grandchildren only. Excluding his siblings, nephews and nieces, cousins, etc. I was devastated and am still not over this. I thought we were close and I am very resentful of the wife

I think the biggest thing in the last year was our trip to Italy. Spend 2 weeks traveling and being together all the time show me that I am going to be married to Danna the rest of my life. I am as fussy as I have always been and she helps me want to be better. My anxiety and perfection are not really much better and yet I think as long as I am working on it it will be ok. I know when she is angry and she is not perfect and yet she also wants to work on it with me. VT is doing well and I have faith that if anyone will make it work Lynsey will

We got a puppy this past year and it has totally changed our lives. We can’t just pick up and go whenever we want to anymore. We have to either plan on doggie day care or find someone to stay with the dog. It has taken a lot of work and has also brought a lot of joy. I am grateful that he has come into our lives and also grateful to have my husband on this journey.

This is such a hard question, as there have been a few things. Firstly, because it's the longest ago would be finally getting my son's autism diagnosis. Its been a long hard 8 years of constantly having to advocate for him, articulate his needs and help him to advocate and articulate for himself. I have so many feelings, and none at the same time about it - I've known this is a part of who his is for his whole life, so it's not a surprise, this is why I was fighting for it and him. But as well as nothing I feel sadness, relief, fear, something like contentment or satisfaction that this has a name, that there's a reason, and then the other side of it that this is something that will never go away, that just as it has been for me, it will always be harder for him because the world isn't designed around neurodivergent people's needs. And the other significant thing would have to be my relationships, working on those growing those, ending some intentionally. Making new friends, one in particular who has brought comfort and community and has opened my eyes and heart to accepting not just myself, but help for the first time in my life without guilt. T is an amazing human who I am so glad is part of my life, who has shown me that what I have been doing is good, who's articulated mutual aid and how friendships aren't transactional and can be built on not carving out time and space for someone but allowing them to become part of your community, part of your found family, and that there are still good people in the world, and we can find each other. I am so grateful for my friendships, my found family, the people who nurture me, care for me, entertain me, stimulate me, and allow me to do the same, who don't necessarily need me, but want me in their lives because I bring joy, and aid, and comfort, and community to them, as they do to me.

Oh my, this first question is a hard one already. Our family hasn't grown. I am still working in the same school. Should I write about my SIL being pregnant? About our holiday? OKAY NO WAIT I GOT ONE. Robbe goes to school now. Apart from how amazing it is that we don't have to pay for childcare anymore, it is also nice to see how he's learning so much - after a month of school, he had started saying thank you, and we notice him feeling more at ease now, more talkative as well. But it has often been heartbreaking to leave him in the mornings.

Both my dad and my best friend had unexpected, significant surgeries this summer. I feel grateful to have been able to show up for both of them in bodily ways, despite the feeling that my own life has qualities of precarity right now. I’m appreciative that my job and the people I work with could make space for me to have these important experiences. I think they helped bring me closer to the people I love and made me more aware of vulnerability, interdependence, and physicality, which are core values for me. And yeah, while it was happening I felt destabilized, disappointed, afraid, etc - I want life to be fun and easy, especially in summer. But I feel a new opening to turn toward community care and I feel so deeply grateful both my people are really here in my community still.

I started the most intense phase of my graduate program, including treating clients. It's been a steep learning curve, lots of learning experiences, self-doubt, tears, exhaustion, and some growing confidence in myself as a clinician. I'm grateful in the long run for the professional training that really helps people who need it, but questioning why these programs need to cram as much knowledge and experience in as fast as possible. More than anything, I crave s l o w i n g d o w n, spending time in communion with nature and my own spirit, and remembering what it is to be a human BEING not a human DOING.

Living through a hurricane. There have been so many this year, but I think this tops the list. It was both a sobering lesson on the fragility of life and the support systems of society, and a powerful dose of quiet and gratitude in the days that followed without electricity or water. Life was stripped down to the bare essentials, and so was I, with nothing but my own thoughts, a forced practice in renunciation. It was incredibly freeing, and pulled into sharp focus what matters most to me.

At the beginning of the year I started anti depressants. I put it off for about a year and I couldn’t believe the relief and ease they brought within just a few weeks. Life felt more manageable and I noticed that I was laughing and singing more and that joy felt closer than it had in a while. It made my whole year easier than the last and helped me shake off the darkness that I felt shrouded in after a few hard pandemic and life years. Very grateful.

This year I had surgery which had been delayed for 2 years due to the Covid pandemic. I had extensive facial surgery, primarily to fix droopy eyelids which were impairing my range of vision, and selective neurolysis and symmetrical facial repositioning to attempt to help the paralysis, asymmetry and synkinesis resulting from my Bell's Palsy 45 years ago. While I was at it, I also got a bit of "rejuvenating" surgery. I am relieved to finally have the surgery behind me, and very grateful for the positive results. My face is still far from "normal" and symmetrical, and there are parts of the surgery with which I am not 100% happy, but overall there has been a significant improvement in my smile, and my face in general Hurray! .

The problem is nothing really significant happened this last year. I like many people being caught in the web of wash, rinse and repeat. I find myself antsy to do something, caught in the dilemma of not knowing what. I suppose I am grateful for maintaining my health, and the health of my family and extended family. I'm neither relieved, resentful, or particularly inspired.

My mom had a major health problem that resulted in surgery. This surgery was delayed many months due to Covid, and she needed so much extra help. Help that my sister wouldn’t or couldn’t give. It resulted in me taking days and weeks to drive to Michigan over and over to help get her house a little safer, get her to appointments, get her medical care that she needed. Over and over I spent days on the road, nights in a hotel, and hours and hours in the hospital for surgery and recovery. My sister disappeared for a month, bailed on me and refused to help. I was furious, resentful, angry that I was left with all the responsibilities. I was thankful that I could help, angry at my sister, angry at my mom who refused to look into safer living possibilities, stressed from all the responsibilities, and so grateful for Tom’s support through it all. And I did slowly learn that I have to let go of the idea that I can change any of it: my sister’s behavior, my mom’s terrible living situation. I have to try and then let them do what they are going to do. It’s terrifying and freeing.

I moved to a new role at work. I was brave enough to apply and accept I might not get it. I decided to have the courage to suck at something new. I was worried my anxiety would overwhelm me. It didn’t. I talked myself through it every day. I didn’t fall back into the hole of depression when things got hard. I breathed and believed. And I’m stronger for it. I was concerned about my capacity for an enormous and overwhelming change. Turns out I can do it. One day at a time. One kindness to myself at a time. And if today it’s hard, I let it be hard. Maybe it won’t be tomorrow.

I wenr back to an old job Last year (I stayed 5 years doing other things) I am a teacher. Fist they call me to give one discipline. But now they call me to give 2! I am very insecure whith my schills and my capacitie of earning money. I am always afraid of get bancarupt and lose a place to live. So, I am happy with these new chalenge.

I've been interested in/talked about herbal preparations for years and years. I remember buying essential oils in a witchy shop on Haight Street circa 1993. I'm not sure why or how but a couple of months ago, I dived in, and it has stuck. I've taken two classes, harvested calendula, I'm fermenting elderberry honey, have goji berry tincture going, just made an essential oil room spray. I'm excited and hopeful about where I will be this time next year.

I moved across the country to school about a month ago. It was one of the scariest things I've had to do -- I knew basically nobody and was totally isolated from my friends and family back home. Now, a month in, I'm so grateful for this challenge. I've met some really incredible people and I'm happier than I've ever been. Growing up at Gilman, I struggled with being unapologetically me. I'm most thankful for the people I've surrounded myself with -- people who love me for who I am. It's a surreal experience to be living as my authentic self in a new place and making my own path. I'm proud of my decision to be openly gay here -- it's been a really empowering experience. I don't regret it at all. This past month has not been easy. Moving to college was really stressful, and it wasn't a given things would fall into place like they have. But doing it has given me so much confidence in my self. I'm relieved I've made it -- hopefully -- through the hardest part. Every day, I remember that I'm living in my past self's dream. I can't express how thankful I am for this experience. “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."

The thing freshest in my mind is jacobs Vascular Ring diagnosis. We haven’t had the consult yet, so I don’t know exactly what the future holds, but anticipating a major heart surgery for your child is a lot to take in. I’m hopeful that this will help him be more comfortable in the future.

Grateful. Mom’s dementia diagnosis was heartbreaking, but something in it softens her harsher edges. I got to truly have and build memories of mother & daughter together. Which makes this moment I am in now, easier. As we are present and bear witness to her end of life.

After several years of covid postponements, we were finally able to travel to the Outer Hebrides for our archaeological project. It was a life-changing trip. We visited multiple towns and museums before living on Benbecula for the final three weeks. I was able to use some of the limited Gaelic I have to talk to the locals. It was incredible, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to visit such a lovely group of islands.

In the past year, my cousin passed away. We weren’t close but we were the same age and we grew up attending the big family functions together. I have felt the loss in different ways at different times. I know work at the school she went to and I see her in every fundraiser and Greek letter. I graduated college and started my first real job and I feel seen and valued. But also lost, transplanted without any roots

In January I went sledding and hit my head and got a concussion. It’s been a real challenge. I had to stop working as a teacher, I spent days in bed with fatigue and headaches and vision issues. My emotion regulation was wildly chaotic and I’m trying to recover and figure out who I am now. It’s been super shitty and confronting my internalized ableism has been hard alongside the reality of an ableist world.

I got a job at a place I have loved and admired for many, many years. I’m working with people I once looked up to as heroes, and now they’re both heroes and coworkers. I am so incredibly grateful to be doing this complicated, sacred work!

I had two incidences when I fell flat on my face. The first was up in the mountains when my trecking pole collapsed. I actually pushed myself into the ground. I split my chin (9 stitches), dislocated my jaw, and may have hit my head. For a moment I could not get up. I see and hear this happening as I write my response. The second happened in the backyard. This time I got my foot caught between 2 pavers. I was carrying a box of eggs and could not save myself. 12 stitiches and a broken jaw. I see and hear that one too. The broken jaw- that was difficult. I still have trouble eating. But at least I am well beyond smoothies and oatmeal.I did not break any teeth!! I am good friends with my denstist.Lots of adjusting so my teeth hit correctly. The inside of my mouth is numb from the surgery. I cannot write more. Just thinking about these accidents makes me shake and shutter.

My nesting partner and I are polyamorous, but with very different life experiences around that. They started having sex in our home with someone they'd been in touch with via texting during the first year of the pandemic. They did this without ever having a real conversation with me about whether or not I was ok with that. They treated me pretty poorly about it for quite a long time, alternating between being loving and supportive and absolutely livid when I talked about how it all made me feel and what I hoped for and needed for my own mental health and simply to feel comfortable in my own home. It made me feel lonely, crazy, and depressed. I'm polyamorous by nature and always have been, but my vision of how partners treat one another is very different from theirs and they have seemed very resistant to hearing or understanding my perspective on that. In the past couple of months it's been much better, and they make an effort to be more sensitive to my new and boundaries while also being more honest about how they're actually feeling about things. I've also become more aware and understanding about how my needs and feelings are affecting them. They may not agree with or understand my point of view, but they want me to be happy, and my unhappiness had made them so tense and miserable that they were having trouble connecting with their new partner and with me. Which made them more tense and miserable. This all sounds really horrible, and much of it was (and sometimes still is) but going through all of this has made us be so much more honest with each other than we've yet been. We love each other and we're still finding ways to be true to ourselves within our relationship.

I’ve gotten involved with more volunteering opportunities this year. This makes me feel a little productive during retirement. Murray and I also have had more opportunities to babysit the grand daughters. I’m grateful to be able to help out our kids and to help others with my volunteer activities. And I am proud that I’ve followed up my intentions to volunteer with action. Since volunteering is ongoing, the experiences are many. They are small - working the Joy Cart, helping people at the information desk at Integris. As for weaving plastic bag mats for the homeless, I am still working on my first mat but almost completed it. I also volunteered with OK Medical Reserve but it’s more difficult to get work there. It’s easier to volunteer if the opportunity can be planned and scheduled in. The point is- small acts of kindness add up. And I’m working on my tolerance, empathy and kindness to others.

I opened up my own business this year, something that I never thought that I would do. After retiring in 2021, I realized that it was not healthy for my mental health to be 100% not doing any type of work. I started to think about how to continue providing therapy as a mental health clinician to a small number of clients. I started looking for office space to share, any other clinicians that might want to share expenses, etc. I was able to find an office and have been seeing clients two days a week since March. I am so happy that I have done this. I enjoy providing therapy so much, working with clients, hearing their stories, and assisting them in finding solutions. I feel like I have a purpose again, and I do not feel overwhelmed by the stress like I did when working full time. I never wanted to be my own boss, but I have really enjoyed the experience thus far. I am inspired, motivated, and have pride in this experience.

I decided to say yes instead of my instinct no when my uncle and aunt invited me to meet them in Charlotte, NC for the long weekend ! We hadn’t seen each other in more than 25 years! It was wonderful! In spite of my stomach ailment , i felt blessed to share lovely breakfasts , lunches , dinners , bottles are great wine with them and a lovely afternoon with aunt Sue around Charlotte ! The trip helped me grow, learn. See how far I’ve come , I have reflected much on how I have turned out as I have - different dad and second family . I learned uncle Gerry really values grit and gaining wealth above all . He resents his dad , my beautiful Grandaddy for renouncing wealth and not going after it . He hates my mom for her rejection of their family . He can’t see beyond black and white why she was more than only damaged and difficult . Or that Grandaddy was beautiful. I am so pleased to have learned psssed black and white! So grateful I have been saying yes to life! So grateful I went ! I love them ! 🙏🏼❤️

I got Covid. It was miserable. Boring. And lonely. But I am relieved that it was not life-threatening. And in a way, it lowered my anxiety and proved I’m a resilient survivor.

I'm not sure I can claim a specific experience, but the continuing pandemic has changed me. I'm more confident, sometimes too confident. I want to be kind. I really wish I wasn't so needy of admiration. I am grateful all the time. I hope Sydney gets help. We put Ari down. How will our lives change without a dog?

I fell hopelessly in love twice - once with a girl who had brought a fresh and bright spark to my creative life like no one I know had ever done before, and once more with my best friend. "Once more" in two senses - she was the second person I fell in love with this year, and this was approximately the tenth time I'd fallen hopelessly in love with her since meeting her. It's been a long, long time since I've truly crushed on anyone, so to have it happen twice in a row was nothing short of miraculous. And the former love has matured into a comfortable and inspiring friendship, but that latter love has persisted and deepened and strengthened with time - until the present, where we happily live together, side by side. I'm grateful for the chance to feel such an intense and joyous rush of emotions. Especially since this time last year I was about to break up with the first girl I'd started dating in years, and feeling like I'd never gone from interest to love and might never do so again! The timing was perfect, and I'm so happy for the roles each of the three of them played in this. (Even my ex played a helpful role - in showing me that I wanted this, what I wanted, and that I had grown enough to be comfortable in reaching out to others!)

My aunt and uncle relocated from Arizona to denver. I’m really loving having them close by. I’m grateful to really establish a relationship with them. I’m also learning about my father.

My mother’s health has declined significantly and we are now considering enrolling her in hospice. It is forcing me into a new perspective - being a family member rather than my more accustomed role as a chaplain/support person to others going through hard times - but also reinforcing my gratitude at still having both of my parents at the age of 60, when so many of my peers have lost one or both of theirs.

My PTSD hit really hard this year, when previously I was able to circumvent the symptoms and be out & about, doing what I need to do. All the sudden I was mostly trapped in my apartment. I was able to find an excellent EMDR therapist and am grateful that some deep-rooted stuff is being addressed.

I spent three months moving temporarily across the country to live with my best friend and help her during her chemo and radiation while she renovated her kitchen and she has pancreatic cancer and a year later she’s still with us!

Boy child has verbally committed to go play lacrosse in college in the midwest. I am relieved, but also realize that I have spent the last 20+ years focused on getting both kids to realize their dreams and WHAT DO I DO NOW? Who am I? What is the status of my relationships? What do I want for myself? I am trying to carve a space that I own, but it is really hard.

In this past year I discovered the FPMT Kadampa Center. The practical simplicity of Geshe Gelek's teaching has been eye-opening. I am grateful and inspired by it. I now see how my mind for what it is and how it colors how I see and react to this world and the events presented.

I realized I suffer from ADHD or something close to ADHD. That diagnoses explained many things about my depression, my work ethic, and my relationships. In both grateful and saddened because if I handled this earlier, who knows how my life would’ve turned out.

On January 10, 2022, I started working as Habitat for Humanity’s first Community Associations Manager. I was extremely excited when I landed this role because I invested so much effort during the interview process. I created four PowerPoint presentations and four customized interview thank you letters. Also, I love the idea of working for a major international nonprofit organization that has such an inspiring mission!

Well it’s been 2. One, the divorce of my mom & him stating “I’m not his daughter”. Resentful towards him, hate actually. I don’t claim him nor will I ever. Me accepting my sexuality. Accepting that I’m queer is possibly the best thing to have happened to me. I love myself & accept myself. I feel comfortable with who I am.

My heart rate went to 180 last October. I was hospitalized and diagnosed with Atrial Flutter. I was given medication but continued to decline to the point where I could barely walk across the room. In February I had an ablation and slowly started to recover. I think I am almost back to my old self, or close to it. I am grateful.

Iniko going super viral! This experience changed my life. I worked Hard as hell to get us to this point and I’m both grateful and feeling very driven to take us to whatever level is nextZ

I reached out to my brother about the explosive episodes he had as a child/teen, to see if I could learn anything to help my son. He described knowing exactly what was happening, and being completely unable to control it despite knowing the consequences of behavior. He described hating what he'd done, and feeling guilt and shame afterwards. That conversation changed the way I look at his background, and the way I approach my sons meltdowns. It was one night, but it was transformative for me. It gave me new empathy for my brother that I never had, and gave me a new approach that is helping my son.

We moved out of our small house, lived in our camper for 64 days, and into our new house. It was actually a huge leap of emunah, because the housing marketing was chewing us up, and so we sold before we had a house to go to. The whole process helped us refine our desires and our needs, brought us closer to each other and to Him (literally and figuratively) and Hashem did NOT let us down ❤️. The house is more than we prayed for! And has opened up an opportunity for us to have deeper relationships within the Jewish community.

Last night I felt like fainting. My ears were ringing, I had blue flashes in my eyes and I was staggering about. I was about to panic when my higher self said:”Just arrive at the bed and you’ll be safe”. That kept me safe. Two weeks ago I was in Tesco with Penelope and I was about to panic because I couldn’t find my money and my card, when I realized that I didn’t have that jacket when I withdrew money from the cash machine. All these are precious life realisations and I am very grateful for them

I broke my leg in January 2022 on vacation. It was life changing. I learned a lot about myself and my own reselience. I also learned, re learned, how much Neal loves me. He was attentive, caring and concerned during every phase of the injury and recovery. I was reminded and continue to be reminded that people are inherently kind even when they don't know how they can help.

there are so many it is difficult to select one because they all were part of a chain that has brought me here, my home in Portland Oregon at my desk looking out to the north garden, and my neighbor's house where I looked 12 years ago and further back and further back to when there was the cat corral for Scotch so she could still go outside and protect other cats from her FHIV. So, of course, moving back to Portland from Austin was a milestone shift. Yet, of course, most significantly was the definitive reality of Steve's PF DX along with the cancers which thank G*d he is doing well with. How did all this affect me? There are so many layers to do through on all levels of body, heart, mind, and spirit, I don't have a final answer, as if there are "final" answers when asking about soul work. What I know today is: fully grateful for going through my life in a grand partnership with a mensch who shows the way to "being an agent for joy" no matter what else is happening on the surface level, and to know that in every moment Breathe takes me into the present and that's where I want to be, and, Love fills all the holes and is what creates the Whole.

I have had many significant experiences. Ketamine opening EMDR opening to the fully story of my past. The collapse of self. The rebuilding of the self. Sholom. The seeing the past and future in the present. I am relieved that I can see where the hurt and fear comes from, I am grateful for learning how to feel love, I resent Sholom not being what I thought. My inspiration is none as I feel lost on my path- I can not see what direction I am to go. I feel I want to keep my new mission I just don’t know how.

I had my first total knee replacement. It made me feel vulnerable and, at the same time, grateful for Bob who cared for me so well and was so patient with me. The surgery also helped me appreciated people with disabilities more. I am proud of myself that I recognized the need to change to a better physical therapist and that I am disciplined with my exercises.

There were several significant experiences, mostly horrible. In December I slipped on wet grass and broke everything in my ankle (trimalleolar fracture), literally sprained it at the same time and dislocated it as well. This was a terrible terrible accident. The pain in my ankle was so severe that I could not move any part of my body without my my ankle and foot hurting me. With the grace of God, I had my phone with me, and was able to call 911. The firemen came and climbed over the fence, followed by the EMTs in an ambulance. They asked if I could stand up by myself, and I said no they sprinted my foot at this strange unpleasant angle, and then cleared away a path to bring in a stretcher. Then one person got behind my right arm, one behind my left, and one behind me, and together, I managed to stand up on my left foot, then I was transported by ambulance to the hospital, the fracture was reduced while I was sedated, and then I spent two days in the hospital waiting for surgery and several days after waiting to go to rehab. Rehab was a very unpleasant experience, which I’ve written about elsewhere. I was affected by this in immeasurable ways . My house when I left was in a state of filth and disarray never before seen here because after Karen died, I was in such a state of entropy that I did nothing making a long story short my friend Bev someone I know who is now a dear dear friend, came over every day with food, which I could barely eat, because I had had CDF and was still quite miserable. She arranged through the Jewish community to pay for a group of two people who came over and organized and cleaned my house. It was a great gift. I learned from this to ask for help or except help when it’s offered by friends and family. My sisters were very generous and helping me pay for someone who was taking care of my pets while I was gone and who was going to be my helper, although she disappeared. Then they paid for someone to come and clean the litter boxes until I was able. Then Maeta came in February and help me sort through all of the boxes that were in the dining room. And after that, I have tried mightily to keep things tidy. Not everything is put away yet. There is stuff in boxes and bins in the office. But I am doing my best to pick up tidy up and clean up. We speak in the Torah of curses and blessings. I was cursed to have broken my ankle, especially as badly as I did but I was blessed to find so much love coming towards me while I recovered. I hope my relationship with my sisters has been strengthened, but one never knows we are very different. But I am so grateful to them and I have told them how much I appreciated all the support. And from Bev, I could not have asked for a better friend. There were other things that were sad. Well, I was still in my wheelchair and not able to walk. I discovered my rabbit, Sally petunia dead on the kitchen floor. I was shocked and saddened. She was the most interesting bunny I had ever had. And the one who had lived the longest. It was winter when this happened and I couldn’t ask anyone to dig a hole in my backyard to bury her. so I had to wrap her in a garbage bag and just put her on top of the trashcan with the lid closed and I had to ask Bev to come and put the body in the outside trash. That was horrible. But what was worse, was the passing of my precious cat Shira in August. She was very old she was 16 years old. I knew that she was failing and I kept her limping along until she stopped eating and then I knew her time had come. I had someone come to the house to put her to sleep. I miss her so much it’s still fresh. but the process was very compassionate and I have a paw print and I am comforted that she went peacefully. And a few weeks later I got a new cat, a young cat adopted from PACC, who is Part Maine coon, I’m certain. I named him Zimmer, as an homage to Shira, because her name meant song, and Hebrew, and Zimrei means one who makes music or music in Hebrew. He is wonderful, and I love him dearly. I always realize when one of my cats dies, that to not open your heart to love and open your heart, my heart, to love, knowing that it will most likely be broken in my lifetime, makes me a loving, compassionate, caring, person. And just as the scars on my ankle have faded, they still remain my badges of courage, my reminder of what I have endured and survived and thrived, so too, are the cracks in my heart, sealed and healed by love.

This year there are so many. I started working in therapy again; I moved into my own apartment—my first time living alone in two decades; I finalized my divorce. I’m so grateful for my ability to grow and change. I’m so grateful I had people supporting me and cheering me on every step of the way. I’m sad that my marriage wasn’t permanent, but I’m grateful we remain friends and were able to amicably and justly negotiate the financial questions that came with the end of our marriage. I am approaching this new year with hope and joy.

Getting in touch with Sam, which happened only yesterday. I don’t know where that will go, but I am grateful for how well that first day went.

Welp, let's see. On Alex's 18th birthday, at 1 am Jimmy started vomiting blood and almost died several times. He had multiple lifesaving procedures and as a result he is now on day 55 of being sober! I am so proud of him. It has truly been the hardest thing we have walked through, but in a way, if it hadn't happened this way, who knows if he would ever found his way to sobriety? Now we pray daily that his sobriety holds and this is the start of a new life.

The January 6th Committee Hearings have been going on this year. Testimonies from many insiders have revealed the conspiratorial and violent nature of the Trump manipulations in 2021 to try to stay in office and reverse the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election. The final hearing will be televised this Wednesday. I have been eager to hear every one of the them and very grateful to those who testified for their candor and honesty. I only hope that there will be legal accountability for those who planned and instigated the attempted overturn of the election.

It's really a series of things. Now that the pandemic has eased, I've been able to get involved with live theater again. I'm really grateful, but have had to deal with some anxiety and stage fright that I never had efore.

There have been so many. I met Aaron with the prémotion that I would meet someone. I finished a full cycle of dialectical behavioral therapy and entered into a new phase of decision-making and awareness of my emotional landscape. I reconnected with Jules. I committed to a practice of creativity in my life and realized that I can’t live without that focus. I became pregnant and then unpregnant. I realized that some friendships were not helpful and fully let them go. I became an aunt. I told my mom she was a good parent and also that not speaking about mental health is hard. I identified and committed to a narrower circle of friends I want to invest in. I felt confident in my professional abilities as a copywriter.

This year, I manifested a full time job with benefits. I am so grateful as it’s literally changing my life. For the first time in 3+ years, I have slept through the night and am dreaming again.

I was diagnosed with a very painful autoimmune condition , Polymyalgia Rheumatica. It may or may not be lifelong. I am extremely grateful that I got a diagnosis and a treatment plan that gave me back a relatively normal quality of life. I do not think I could have endured the level of pain much longer. This "affliction" has affirmed for me that there is nothing more important that good health. Possession, money, fancy clothes, etc, mean nothing if I can't stand without assistance, can't walk across a room, can't visit my grandchildren, etc.

My 14-year-old partial knee replacement wore out in August of 2020, and this past year the whole thing was replaced with shiny new parts. I walk a little funny now, and use a cane, mostly for balance and when I am out of the house. But I can walk the dog again. I suppose I am grateful to be able to walk, but the damn pandemic made me wait the better part of 2 years before the surgery could be scheduled.

I became very anemic this year, and remained terribly weak for months. I had to learn to do everything in tiny increments and to be extraordinarily patient with myself. It was scary, fortunately remediable, and now my energy and capacity are close to the old norm. Like many my age, I am terrified of losing the capacity to do for myself. It was an important realization to come to terms with severe limitations.

I had open heart surgery to replace my tricuspid valve in March. It changed my year completely. After 6 months I'm ginally starting to return to normal. The heart is back to 100% & I'm grateful to alive.

I took a full time job. It has exhilarated me to still be needed and valued, fulfilled me by doing good for people of the world, and aggravated me by robbing me of ME-time. It also makes evident when depression hits- I am less motivated.

My brother got married last year (May 2021), and I thought I sorta got a long sith his wife, but I turned out that I didn't. After Thanksgiving, he called my mom saying how his wife felt like I was attacking her and how going to my parents' house for Christmas is bring her major anxiety. It was a significant experience that it has strained the little amount of relationship I had with my brother. I am resentful. I didn't have much of a relationship with him before he met her, but I feel like with her in the picture it's gotten even smaller.

I got meet with a rabbi about conversion, I’m so sad my dad decided to stop taking me to shul.

I am thrilled that my wife’s and my first grandchild was born. Although he was premature and spent weeks in the NICU, he now is thriving and happy (kenohorah).

The most significant event for me this year was having the man I loved and adored ending our relationship completely out of the blue. It left me shocked, heartbroken and utterly rudderless. Six months on, I am still not entirely over it. On the upside, it made me get back out there and start socialising again. I’ve also lost weight and my body confidence has grown… but there is a hollowness to my glossy shell. I genuinely don’t know what to do next. I’m enjoying the city and making more friends here but the world is once again my oyster. Should I just leave the uk now before it’s too late?

I had hip replacement surgery on both hips within the last year and it has improved my quality of life so much. It was so painful before just trying to do normal everyday tasks but now I can do most of the things I used to do before my hips got bad. It's so easy to take good health for granted until you don't have it anymore. I always told myself that if I got new hips I would try harder to lose weight and live healthier so I can be here for my son.

I've recovered from trauma. It affected me in significant ways, for the better. I think it was one or probably the biggest achievement I could ever have in my life. I'm deeply, deeply grateful

My dog that I’ve had since she was 8 weeks old died due to cancer. She was 8 years old. I was and am still resentful. I feel like our time was cut short and I’ve never lost anyone that close to me. It did inspire me to stop drinking. I’m over 4 months in, no drinking. This is even more significant for me cause I am a professional bartender and bar consultant. I was using alcohol to numb the pain of watching my beloved Frankie die slowly. Her death as inspired me to be and do better. I regret so much, especially the last month of her life and if I do ever go back up I drinking it will be very minimal and only for celebratory reasons.

My granddaughter came to live with me this year. It has completely altered my life in a grand way! Sure, there are moments. Thing is, she is brilliant, and a blessing, and I’m learning so much! I never dreamed I’d be reliving the high school years with one of my grands at this age, and it’s fabulous! Such a gift! Thank You Universe! LOVE!

In April, I lost my grandmother. It was springtime, the same time of year I lost my paternal grandmother a year before. I still cry regularly when I think of her. She was not done here mentally, that's what gets me. It was her body that wrapped up her life. She knew it might be the last time we all see each other at her birthday party in March. She was so sad. She met my partner at this birthday party. She cared about him, who he was as a whole person, despite so many differences (religion, race, nationality). She truly modeled for everyone what love and acceptance are. I miss her and I miss knowing that she loved me, that she cared, for me and that she worried about me. That circle of people is small for me. So I feel that loss. And I feel all the moments she is and was in. The Springtime, the birthday wishes, the shana tova, the thanksgiving meals, the chanukah presents, her quiet presence. I just loved being around her. Feeling at home, that I could be connected to such a special person. My partner tells me, part of loving her is loving the people she loved. I will do my best. I feel honored to be part of this family that loves well and, honestly, loses well. I feel touched by the grace of my parents in the face of death. I feel unsteadied by change and loss. And I feel ok with holding this sadness.

My eldest moved up North to SF, in February, and it caused me great sadness. Whenever I think about the distance between my living space and my children it causes great emotional pain. I miss them so much.

youngest son moved back to our city- grateful- mom in law broke hip- was scared, relieved that she can still manage at home with dad in law-

I have birth to Adar! Wow, so grateful. Her entire pregnancy was challenging. I was unsure if I had made the right choice going for number 3. Could I handle, what was I thinking? I was depressed and anxious most of the pregnancy and her birth itself was stressful with covid and then hospitalized the week before. But her birth was so empowering and my maternity leave got the first 5 months were blissful. It was an awesome recharge and she brings so much happiness to our home and family. I feel like our family is complete with her in it.

This past year has been really fucking lackluster. It was a series of "fine" experiences but nothing that felt like "it." I'll err on the positive side lest the remainder of my 10Q answers are downers... Going to Turks & Caicos with Jen in March was a true highlight! Getting out of the country after Covid, being away somewhere also tropical and pretty like home but in full-on vacation mode together was unique and special. I was able to relax in a way that I haven't for as long as I can remember on a vacation. I became obsessed with their island dog rescue and now follow it and all of its pups and families they (the dogs lol) adopt.

I have experienced the continued decline of my Dad who lives with us and just recently, he has been in the hospital. He continues to hang in there but I feel we are not able to really give him a true quality of life due to his lack of mobility. It makes me even more resolved to take care of my health as well as I can and to help inspire others to do the same.

A significant experience that has happened for me in the past year is getting a promotion at work. In February 2022, I was promoted to supervisor of the epidemiology team. This made me feel grateful that I was finally being recognized for the work I was already doing and that my hard work was getting noticed and acknowledged. I had gone back and forth about finding another job for a long time, and this helped me see that it was worth sticking it out where I was a bit longer.

Standing up to an ex girlfriend who came round to yell at me. I told her that I wasn't available for a torrent of abuse and asked her to leave. There may have been other ways around the situation, but I am proud of myself for having a clear boundary and enforcing it even if it wasn't the most initally comfortable thing to do

Mid Feb 2022 was a bit of a crazy time for me. I found a lump in my breast and, I went through the usual teat etc, and I was told I have breast cancer. It was quite a shock to my system. But 2 major surgeries later, I am getting on with it.

A significant experience was completely my first year of graduate school in psychology. The amount of growth that happened in one year was kind of crazy. Is started the program without a lot of confidence. I wondered how I would ever related to my classmates and felt like I needed to just get in and get out so I could become an LCPC. Little did I know the amazing people, and opportunities that lie ahead of me. I made connections with classmates and they showed me wonderful parts of myself that I was so scared to see. They not only encouraged me to shine my light but were right there to cheer me on and celebrate exactly who I am. I have always wanted a mentor and Jonathan has been that and more. He has supported me, listened to me, pushed me in the kindest way, and became like family. The love and support from my community helped me reach for the stars and find an amazing research internship. Additionally, I was able to figure out that underlying so many of my struggles was undiagnosed ADHD. Taking adderol has made me SUCH a better mom. I also quite drinking as I recognized how my ADHD was impacting that in a negative way. I could not be more grateful for the struggles and amazing successes I got to experience this year!

On February 24, 2022 Ukraine was invaded by Russia and millions of Ukrainian women and children fled the country for safety. I donated to Care.com and I have money to a dog grooming business turned shelter for pets left behind. Then I became engrossed in the websites set up to help Ukrainians find shelter. On March 14th I decided that action was needed and I was determined to help a family. I read a few profiles and kept going back to the plea of a woman trying to help her friend with a 4 year old autistic boy who was freaking out due to all the people and noise - he couldn’t handle the crowds. Her friend, Tatiana, was traveling with her 14 year old distant her mother. They had 2 cats and 2 dogs with them. I started communicating with Tatiana through her friend who spoke English. The family wanted to go to Lithuania. I scanned Airbnb and saw several rentals - it would cost between $1200-$2000 per month for a 1-2 bedroom Airbnb. The places were small but appeared neat, clean and safe. I learned they wanted to go to Klaipeda, near the Baltic Sea and far from Belarus. I communicated with 3 Airbnb but hosts and found one that would take them. I rented an apartment for this family for 3 months. They cried and then they got to business making the 2 day journey via free buses, trains and volunteers who drove them - 3 people and 4 animals made their way to Klaipeda and they had a safe place to be while they figured out their next move. They are now my family and I care for them very much. They are very grateful and I am blessed to have this ability to bring good where there is evil - love when there is hate.

My older child left for college last month. This is too fresh for me to even know how I've been affected -- it is raw and uncertain. I miss her, I'm hopeful for her, I'm scared for her. I vacillate between fears of her failing and fantasies of her thriving, and have trouble taking in the shades of grey -- in all likelihood, she will muddle through like the rest of us. But if she turns out to be more or less successful, I will remember this as a time of joy and gratitude despite how much I miss her. When she was first born, her Carter's onesies bore the motto, "If they could only stay small," and I knew even then how wrong that was. What parents want most of all is for our children to be able to launch. I'm also enjoying the vicarious ride through that stage of life where the world suddenly expands before you. With one child out of the house and the younger child increasingly independent, I hope I will take advantage of my newfound freedom to expand my own world. I realize when I start to envy my kids' extracurricular opportunities that similar opportunities exist for me -- like my kids, I just need to figure out how to balance competing priorities.

David and Ramonda both started college this year. David in January, doing graduate school mostly from home through Lemoyne, and Ramonda this fall at Cayuga community in Fulton. I am super proud of both of them. David has wanted this for so long, and i know he was afraid he couldn't follow through, but he has overc his own challenges and is thriving. R is so young, but mature enough and smart enough. She's working hard and it's such a finish line for me.

I was recognized at work, significantly, and it was aided by the most amazing woman, Leslie, my wife. If she hadn’t told me to ask, it wouldn’t have happened. I am so grateful and strive to do my best for her. And work…

Lost 25 pounds, regained 15. proud but dissapointed. finding it hard to stay focused and re-committed to do it again. trying to remember and focus on how good it felt when i weighed less.

So much has happened that it is hard to decide what holds more significance. Obviously the war in Ukraine, is unsettling, but watching the world turn right and the power of Trump is terrifying. Something is fundamentally wrong and, we can only hope and pray that our better instincts will prevail. It's painful to see the world struggle with climate change, racism, antisemitism, but perhaps the pandemic will subside and we can all take solace in returning to "normal " activities.

In February, I made an attempt on my life, on an impulse caused by an intrusive thought. I took 60 of my old anxiety pills, and said goodbye to my friends, figuring it would be too late to save me anyway. One of my friends called my dad, who rushed me to the hospital. After 12 hours of treatment, including being airlifted to a different hospital and getting my throat intubated, I woke up in a hospital bed with a foggy memory of what happened. I stayed in the ICU for 2 days, and then moved to the Psych ward for 6. I couldn't talk to my friends, or anyone except my parents, who could visit one at a time for half an hour. I cant say I liked it, and I still think it did little to nothing except start me on new mood stabilizing meds. I was initially angry and resentful, because it felt like I had done nothing but worsen my own situation and everyone else's in one fell swoop. However, after a month of better intensive treatment, and around 7 of getting back to regular life, I believe it helped me overall. I had been "Losing my mind" for 2 and a half years. I had picked up drinking, and used nicotine and weed to cover up my emotions. I still smoke weed, but legally with a Medical Marijuana card, because I believe it is an extremely versatile supplement that is buried under years and years of propaganda and stigma, but I digress. In any case, I needed that sudden push into intense treatment in order to improve myself. Now I consider myself a "Neo-Hippie", and I've dropped all my destructive behaviors! I feel better than I ever have in my life.

My first grandchild was born. I am sort of watching my own reaction to this new human...how much I am attracted to him - like a magnet; how much I ask myself questions about him, life, choices. He makes me cognizant of the need for Trust - the need to let go and believe that he, and the world, will be okay.

Many this past year - first that came to mind was the breakup with Mark, second that came to mind was the death of Lucy. Was devastated they way the breakup with Mark happened with so little communication or care. It made me go to a dark place. Made me even question if the relationship was even worth it. Very broken hearted. Writing this in September - I am stronger now. The death of Lucy and knowing her for such a very relative short time - just over a year. I did not question one bit if that relationship was worth it and if I was sorry at all that I connected with her. I do not in the least - she gave me so much that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I would never allow Mark back into my life - I cannot trust my emotions with him. But I miss Lucy greatly.

Losing Baby Bere. It was really painful. It reminded me of what matters. It made me want to life better. I am totally fine now but it opened my eye and heart.

Breast cancer I am grateful for small things and want to live with peace and be intentional in relationships

The Roe v Wade decision was overturned, robbing women across the country of their most basic human rights to privacy and bodily autonomy. This has left me emotionally enervated. After lots of marching in 2021, I’ve barely been active in 2022. Liz Cheney, though against abortion, has been a surprise hero in joining with Democrats to reveal Trump’s efforts to violently overthrow the election. The evidence is overwhelming yet I fear nothing will ever be done to him. On a more personal level, I started earning some extra money by doing editing jobs for Reedsy and was able to pay to have a fence installed around our yard, which has been life-changing for our dogs. And Jamie got fired and moved in with us for a couple of months but then stopped speaking to me and, when I insisted she treat me with respect, she moved in with her new girlfriend, Jenna. We have reached a tentative peace, though, helped by the beautiful Vidday video I made her for her 30th birthday. Finally, my mother’s memory loss has increased significantly, as has her incontinence, and she now has congestive heart failure, making her needier than ever and me more despairing. None of my predictions about promoting my book came to pass; I’ve just given up and am barely writing. All but one of my submissions this year was rejected so I’ve stopped submitting. I do smoke marijuana once in a while but my hyperemesis is under control; Renee and I are loving and supportive of one another and we continue to have great sex despite my desire having flagged significantly the past few years.

searched for and got a new job. relieved. i was stuck in a field i did not fit into.

My mother passed away. I am both relived because she was suffering and resentful because she left too soon. Friday was the 18th anniversary of my brothers passing and I reflect on that deeply each year. I’m angry because he was so young. He was my best friend in every way and I should have been able to grow old with him. He was my son’s favorite person in the world to this day. I’m also relieved because he was suffering so. Lastly, I regret that my son and I are not as close as we used to be. My work k has just begun.

My husband was fired from his coaching job at the school our family has been a part of for 11 years. It was devastating. It was a betrayal the upended our lives. In order to not move, he took a job that is a big step down. He is relieved to no longer answer to his previous administration, but I have lost my community in so many ways. I have a difficult time letting go of the anger.

Renee Brown. Grace, effort, healing, support. On the shadow side, observed the aging process, as well as Renee’s hatred of people, particularly of her mother. It affected me positively to be of help and to have days of joy, as there are few people who we will do this life saving work for. It’s now a face off, for Renee to battle herself. She doesn’t understand woke. People won’t be beaten. I myself feel pride in such service. In the end, she has made herself unloved. She worships money, it’s all she has. I was glad to have a role in someone’s life that allowed her the freedom she wishes to have, and my mother agrees that miracles took place, largely due to my reflecting hope. She knew her freedom could end. Hope, freedom and healing. Now she can die as she feels ready.

Zak’s suicide attempts changed most things I thought about the future, that my work as a parent would soon slow down, come to fruition, and that life is as it seems. Everything is uncertain now. I am on high alert, breathing quickly. Finances are uncertain. There is help too. I have lived on the edge before which is both scary and exhilarating. It’s not easy, requires faith. I might have enough faith, might not.

I survived open heart surgery. I am amazed at what my body can do. Even though I still feel pretty crappy some days, I am alive!

In the past year, the most significant event was making aliyah for the second time after eight years abroad! I'm grateful for the experience and blessed to be in Israel, but I'm still frustrated that I'm not feeling more of the magic of being here as I did when I made aliyah 10 years ago. It's such a weird sensation.

I suffered a deep depression due to the death of my son - it took 18 months to realize that I had numbed myself to this pain of grief. When I realized what I was feeling, I hit the wall and got the help I needed, which included professional guidance, medication and turning to God. While I will live with a broken heart for the rest of my days, I know that this pain is a manifestation of my love for my child, and that I can choose to let light into my life again.

Working my program and finally taking its suggestions . I am grateful for AA and this is life or death and I would hurt a lot of people if I was to go back out there. I am so grateful not everyday but most days to a live . So relieved I am so very much . Being on step 4 in the 12 steps of AA I am finding I had resentments I did not know were there. I am survivor of all sorts of abuse and domestic violence. So I hold a lot of that pain inside of me still to this day because I choose to deal with through therapy yeah but that only seemed to work for so long cause I would ignore the fact I am addict . Inspired I feel through my daughter she is light of my life , my family and my extended AA family . I see what they have by working this program vigorously and taking all of the suggestions . I want what they have . Not literally but the life of happiness. there for one another and love . Not everything will like me and that is ok not everyone has too and I do not have to like everyone either however loving everyone I now understand. AA it so works if you work it

In January, one of my longest relationships came to a rocky end as I realised that I had been mistreated and abused by them. It was a long time coming, and rough when it did. Friend groups were broken apart, and the revelations of her abuse hurt a lot of people. Despite this, I feel like I have grown stronger in myself, and in my remaining relationships. I am a better person for having shed the things which hurt me, and for allowing other people to talk about the hurt they were experiencing too.

I guess the most significant experience has been proving that I am able to lead a classroom and successfully teach children. I was with a co-teacher who was rather critical of my abilities. Now that I am the leader, I feel confident and inspired to do the work.

I started my UI/UX bootcamp with dibimbing.id this January 2022. I managed to finish it and get best portfolio and best research award in my batch this July 2022. I'm glad that my learning journey during Bootcamp is not lonely despite it being online. Coz I got friends from my working group. I hope I could stay in touch with them after the bootcamp. It's harder to stay in touch coz we all have different schedule, now that we walk our own path. I'm grateful, it didn't take me long to finally got a job in this field. Looking for a job is mentally tough. And the award I got did little in easing my anxiety whether I'm good enough to get a job or not. I applied for 10 places, all rejected. And suddenly an investing company asked my time for an interview. I'm not interested in it but I gave it a go. I'm so relieved that I got a quick response from the company I'm now working in. Within a week since the scheduled interview, I started working on 22 August 2022. Even tho it's a new startup, I feel the leaders are like old friends. I can talk comfortably with my team, especially my Chief Product Officer, the product team and my partner in the design team. I consider it's a quite good start, even tho the salary is still below my expectation. I could work from anywhere and manage my own time. Well... Tho I feel I shouldn't stop growing my skills. The talk with my CPO reminded me that I need to steadily building the future I wish I become: where I could work coz I WANT to, not because I need to. Having enough time for myself, fam and friends, or things I consider important. Financially stable and having multiple income stream that doesn't depend on my presence and time.

Booking a holiday to Menorca. At time of writing it is 6 days away. Also the queen die this year. We now have a king. And I published a short story book on Amazon. And have a new pod cast dedicated to short stories

Bad case of Covid/ Omicron. Much healing and rest needed over the year. Quit my sisterhood board position. Personality conflicts. Needed to regroup. Father had a heart attack suddenly. He's home with many meds. Doing much better. The Queen died a week later. Very sad! I am grateful for my life! With all the challenges, it is mostly joyous!

My dad died on January 8, 2022 after being sick with cancer for 13 years and being in hospice in the fall of 2021. I miss him every day. Mostly, when I am in my house and do something new or rearrange something or look at the native plants growing in my front yard, I miss him the most because I know he would share in my joy. "Laur," he would say, "that looks great." I miss him so much but I am also so grateful that he is not suffering anymore. I trust that he is watching over me and I am really grateful for that.

I met someone! We're in a relationship, the realest relationship I've ever had. It's great.

Just over a year ago my stepdad passed away. He'd been struggling with Parkinson's, but it happened unexpectedly. He had a stroke, and the doctors felt he would be unable to recover. Watching him die was one of the hardest things I've ever experienced. I'm still grieving him, and the grief is strange. He's not my biological parent, and we weren't particularly close, but he was a kind, thoughtful person, and I knew him for close to twenty years. It's taken a while to mourn him. I spent a lot of this past summer sitting quietly next to water, and I never planned to think about him, but I always did. The anniversary of his death was also very hard, and I'm still very sad about it. I'm not sure if I can say how it affected me other than that I'm still processing it, and that I'm not the person I was this time last year.

My daughter moving from California to Colorado. It affected me because I spent so many retirement years in LA. I am grateful for the move & how happy they are

Finally connecting with a therapist who I’ve been able to open up to and whose approach has led me to really understanding parts of myself, why I am the way I am, my relationship with food, and so much more. Some of these things have been difficult to work through but also so fascinating to see the connections between a random memory in my early childhood to a behavior/habit I exhibit today - nearly always out of self preservation. I’m hopeful the hard work will release me from some of the thoughts and behaviors I’ve been stuck in for so long.

I got a job. I am grateful, pleased, conflicted, glad. It’s not easy but is certainly better than the alternative of sitting home doing nothing.

I started dating my girlfriend a little less than a year ago (after last year's High Holy Days), which has been a very positive experience. My previous relationship ended quite badly and left me feeling uncertain about my ability to be a good boyfriend, and it took me a lot of time to get to the point where I felt comfortable dating someone again. Being with my current girlfriend has brought up a lot of uncertainty about the future, about what I'll do with our relationship, about how to be a good boyfriend. It's also been reassuring, as I can see the ways I've grown and been able to have a healthier, happier, more mature, and hopefully longer-lasting relationship.

During the past year I continued to look for meaning outside of myself. A new hobby, a new course, …. The last thing that was supposed to be ‘it’ was padel. But during a padel course I realized this still isn’t enough. This realization affected me deeply. At first I felt hopeless, what is the point of all this? Why am I on this earth? But soon after I decided to do what I can. I have no other choice but to turn (in) to myself. This emotional experience inspired me to focus on groundedness. I need a stronger foundation. I have known this for so long but I never act on it. I need to ground myself and see where it goes from there. I will not question my existence anymore before I arrive at that point (of groundedness).