I guess about now I’m getting a lot of “Amens” and “Thank Heavens” out there to my title. While I”m sure we can look back and find some good things–I published my 8th romantic suspense book, we have stayed healthy, and have family and friends near–even still this year has been one of loss, sorrow, fear, frustration, and even anger.

My mother did an end of the year event that seems especially appropriate for 2020. Make a list of all the bad things you did, some that others did to you, some just bad things that happened to us all. Put each item on a piece of paper and on then on New Year’s Eve throw each one on the fire pit. It’s like symbolically “getting rid of the old to make room for the new.” That’s also one of my mother’s sayings generally applied to my closet. 😊

My heart aches for all the losses suffered this year. Places were empty that once were filled by loved ones. We have memories to which we should cling to help us get through these sad times. Try to find the happy memories of your loved ones and focus on those. Because of those happy memories, you’ll never be truly alone. They will always be with you. My mother has been gone for 17 years, but as you see, she pops in now and again with words of admonition, wisdom, and comfort.

Even if we were fortunate to not lose a loved one, many of us didn’t see our families the way we wanted to. I actually thought the Zoom Christmas presenting was pretty fun. Would I have preferred to be in person? Of course, but I’m grateful for technology that allowed us to share an experience.

The good news is there is hope on the horizon. The vaccine is here, and folks are getting poked in their arms. Definitely something to offer an “Amen” for and a “Thank Heavens.”

This is also a good time to look back at the goals I set for 2020 to see if I met any of them. (Trip goals certainly didn’t happen but publishing my latest book did.) And then I like to look forward to what I hope for the next year. We’ll still be under Covid restrictions for most of 2021, I fear, but still, I’ll be planning for our fall trip to Maine. Even if it can’t happen, I’ll have had fun planning for it. God willing, we’ll see our 50^th Wedding Anniversary in June of 2021. It probably won’t take the shape I had once pictured for the celebration.

And I’m deep into my next book that is trying to be a Hallmarkish story. Except of course, I’ve already had a murder. LOL Maybe when I finish this one, I’ll really focus on writing a story that takes place in December and ends right about Christmas Day with no murders. 😊

Find ways to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Physically hugging yourself works to get that touch we’re all missing. Practice affirmations and keep on keeping on. We will get to the other side of this crises. Be safe and wear your mask. We always have hope and we always have each other.

How did you spend Christmas? With loved ones, on-line, alone? Happy New Year. Love to hear from you.

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