There she is - right there above this line. My annual need to montage favorite moments and photos from the year, all the while highlighting music of those that departed too soon. Thankful to Sinead O'Conner and Tina Turner for providing the music they did while they have L - I - F - E.
I always have my end-of-the-year rituals and although I debated doing another blog - year 17 - I realized my daily ritual is too habitual at this point and I'd rather let my fingers tap in this tradition than to find another outlet to process my day-to-day. I'm beginning to think that being a reflective type is actually a curse. Ribbit Ribbit. I'm always trying to make sense of the non-sensical and can't seem to rid myself of the OCD to do as I've chosen to do for some time.
New year...new blog. Cluckity-Cluck-Cluck Crandall. Thank you, Easter Bunny...Bawk Bawk.
I'm not sure 2023 was all that spectacular, but it wasn't 2019-2020. Covid's still with us, as are the ongoing changes in climate disrupting the planet, but it wasn't as wonky as those years were. I'm see the past year as a pivot into later adulthood, where so much new is coming from the bottom and so much old is coming from the top and I'm simply squished with thinking about it all way too much. I can't help but put everything into "it used to be this way when we were kids, and I really loved my college years and the funk of the 20s, but then maturity sent in and teaching was the game in the 30s, but I needed more in my 40s so did a doctorate, and now I direct a National Writing Project site which I love and in my 52nd year, I'm starting to wonder, how do I phase out with grace....that is...focus on another 15 years of labor?"
I'm not quite sure, and that is probably why I keep these posts as I do (even telling my parents yesterday I wasn't in the mood for talking because I was fixated on my end-of-the-year rituals.
Chitunga will say goodbye to Alyssa today in Louisville as she flies home, and then he returns to Iowa. Abu and Lossine should be heading back to Syracuse from the Carolinas. Kanyea is living the good life with Courtney and Malia Celine, and I suppose 2024 is about finally seeing Edem and the new twins. I have to make it happen, because it's ridiculous our lives have become that busy.
2023, though....I'm read to shut the door. It's time for new windows to hope in the year of 2024.
Happy New Year and much love wherever you are able to explore.
Living. Loving. Laughing....and clucking once more.
Bry
