Wow, a lot has happened and a lot has changed since I last wrote a blog post. I am not really sure why I quit writing them, because I generally enjoyed sharing my thoughts. And of course, who doesn’t love to hear their mom brag about some nascent skill that they are too protective about to put it all out there on the line. Chapter 2 of the “parental handbook” clearly states, “every parent shall believe that their child is MUCH more talented than they truly are”.

I truly want this post to be one of hope, outlook, gratefulness, mindset and positivity. However, I also want to be real, and provide some context around everything that has transpired in my life.

A lot has happened since February 2019. In April of 2019, my dad lost his nearly two-year battle with ALS. When I was reminded this past summer of the ice bucket challenge, I had no clue that ALS would touch anyone in my family. It’s easy to feel that way about a lot of things. A lifelong lesson that my mom taught me at 15 years old was, “it CAN happen to you”. Looking back on that spring of 2019, I had no true realization at the time just what a toll Dad’s battle with ALS and his death had taken on me. When we are kids, we think our parents will live forever and sometimes that bleeds over in to our adult life. I am often surprised when mental health is not given its proper due. When you are in a dark place, it is difficult to realize it, to ask for help, or to know what to do and who to turn to. It is very easy to seek out any form of comfort, relief or any vice. As temporary as they are, they are the only things that numb the pain. One of my all-time favorite Pink Floyd songs comes to mind, “Comfortably Numb”. (My sweet niece Makayla, who is helping me with my website and blog posts is probably wondering “Who is Pink Floyd and what in the hell is comfortably numb??) 🙂

As 2019 faded away and we entered 2020, we were all thrust in to something none of us could have ever expected. COVID 19, a global pandemic that continues to topple our view of normalcy and our way of life for the past 2 years. As I write this, I am getting over my second bought with Coronavirus. In late October 2019, I helped my mom move from her North Carolina summer home that she had recently sold back to Sun City Center, Fla. We had several days of quality time together while I was there with her and the lengthy drive home to Florida. I wish I would have known that it would be my last road trip with her and those home cooked meals in NC would be the last ones she would ever cook for me. Our sweet mom caught COVID on that trip as did I. Unfortunately, she did not survive it and was called home at the end of December. I have often said that the one thing I desperately do not want to have at the end of my life is regret. Mom continues to teach me life lessons even now. She lived her life the way she wanted, and did her level best to not have any regrets. I miss our long talks on Sunday mornings and I can still her greeting me with a “hey Baby!” when I answered the phone.

Another life lesson she taught me was to be grateful for the blessing that we do have in our life instead of focusing or complaining about the things we don’t have. I try to start every day with some form of this prayer:

I am so very grateful for all the blessings in my life

I am grateful to have met and married the love of my life

I am grateful for my life, my health, my family and every person I care for

I am grateful for my children and my new grandson

Sometimes the prayer is longer and more reflective. It makes me feel like it is the very best way to start my day off and with the right mindset.

I am late writing down my goals and aspirations down for 2022. Some of them I am certain will be recycled from 2021 to 2022. I believe that a goal is not truly a “goal” until it is written down. I feel like the power of the universe is not summoned to move you goal in to first gear, until you physically write it down.

My brother has been a huge proponent of crypto currencies for quite some time. I should have listened to him much earlier on and invested far heavier than I did. Trying to not let lightning strike twice, I went head long in to NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) this past year. I am glad I did. I learn something new in that space every day. If you ever wanted to learn about them, ask me sometime. I am happy to tell you everything I know. It shouldn’t take longer than 5 minutes. 😉 The lifelong learning continues.

I mentioned above about being grateful for my grandson. My daughter Ariel and son-in-law Jake blessed us in December with Mr. Everett Kent Johnson. I often wondered if being a grandparent would feel different than just being a parent. It does J. The spoiling  has not gotten in to high gear yet, but it will.