The other day I was thinking about 2020, and instead of dredging up all the awful from the year, I wanted to think about good things that happened, or things I’m proud of. Because even in rough, uncertain, and chaotic times, good things can happen too, and I wanted to remember my personal achievements.
- I started submitting stories again. Well, ok. . . just one story, and it has only gone out a couple times, but considering I haven’t submitted anything for years, this was a significant step for me. I have a second that will join it soon, and I have plans for more.
- I had several good writing streaks. There was also time when I didn’t write. When I just wasn’t up for it. But I wrote more than I had in awhile, and when I wrote, I enjoyed it. So I believe the rests were necessary.
- We started a family D & D game. This is something we’ve wanted to do for awhile, but none of us knew how to play, and were intimated at trying to start on our own. But there was a pandemic, so we couldn’t turn to strangers to learn. So we decided not to care if we were doing it ‘right’. We would just do it. Family fun is being had. I’m pretty sure we’re goofing a lot of rules up, but there is great serenity in not caring.
- I have cleaned up and reclaimed my garden. This has brought me much more joy than I anticipated it would. Now i want to grow all the things, and somehow I keep finding space, but am bracing myself for when I can’t cram any more in. Not there yet though, so I keep calling the local nursery and checking if they have grapes in yet.
There might be more, but those are things that come to mind, and those are enough to make me happy and proud. I’m going to throw in a homeschooling tip here that I feel is connected. Starting in Kindergarten, I helped my girls make a scrapbook each year of things they had done. Family things, school things, personal things. Field trips, recitals, scout and club gatherings, birthday parties, artwork, etc. There is always a time when we felt we didn’t do enough. That we had used our time poorly, or goofed off too much. Then we would have the scrapbook. Looking through it always made them proud. Look at all they had done this year! Wasn’t it great? Remember that hike? Look how much my handwriting improved since September!
While caught up in the grind of life it’s so easy to forget how much you really do. The good things. I think it’s worth taking the time to remember them.
Karabu Creations 