A None-Too-Soon Goodbye to 2023

Expecting the unexpected in the road ahead… Photo by Jarco Penning on Unsplash

This will be the year I remember as peppered with the proverb “This, too, shall pass”.

I only throw out that phrase when things are agonizingly annoying or somewhat painful or somehow horrifying. And it has proven to be not so true when it comes to world events.

I doubt the ongoing devastation in Ukraine will “pass” as long as Russia’s dictator desires its annexation. And the horror in the Israel and Gaza is far from passing.

As I finish that year-end review of the list of personal goals that seemed so eminently doable last January, it’s hard to suppress a chuckle at all that occurred as the year emerged.

I didn’t know that all of the PT and chiropractic care I sought for my clicky, sticky hip didn’t have a prayer of dealing with that rusty joint.

I tried. I worked at it. I thought, “I can do this!”

And then learned in September that I, nope I can’t do this on my own. I need a very skilled surgeon who will replace this old arthritic joint in two weeks – and then, again, it will be up to me to rehab back to the mobility I desire. So, this, too, shall pass.

My work has always provided the unexpected, which may mean there’s nothing unexpected about my work at all. Working for clients in higher ed, philanthropy, and networking tech means there’s no lack of issues asking for my attention. And 2023 has delivered oh so many issues eliciting the …shall pass… refrain.

There were indeed high points. We finally achieved our long-delayed family trip to Tangier and transferred knowledge of Jacques’ hometown to our next generation. Family sites, friends to know, and landmarks to never forget are now part of their shared knowledge. That passed too quickly.

We are truly fortunate to have our family all settled in Minneapolis. Daughter Clare came back first, and now Ben and Nellie own a house in the city just a couple of miles from us – and that I hope never passes.

The final note to this year has been a personal experience with shingles. I don’t recommend it. Turns out shingles is precisely as painful as people say it is. And when one has the added bonus of having shingles of the face/near the eye? Well, it brings a whole new appreciation for clarity of sight minus the smeariness of goo in the eye.

To all of you, my family and friends, I leave you with this thought. Yes, this will pass and the New Year will come. May it be filled with health and happiness for you and yours.

And if you haven’t? Get your Shingrix shots!