Here' to 2024..... She better be good to me! (Tina Turner)

My blog helps me fight off my inner demons. While I could keep a private journal hidden away, I choose to share my thoughts in the hope that they might offer solace to others facing similar struggles. Sometimes, just knowing you're not alone can make all the difference. Online support groups are everywhere, but there's something special about reading someone's thoughts, especially when they resonate with your own. Each of my posts is fueled by a unique mix of emotions, experiences, and outcomes. Being at this stage in life is uncharted territory for me, with all the ups and downs it entails. It can be tough and amazing at the same time – it all depends on the day!

Good bye 2023

Today marks the end of 2023, a year that has flown by in the blink of an eye. It's astonishing how time passes so quickly. It feels like just yesterday I was a carefree 8-year-old with a set bedtime, and yet that was 50 years ago. It seems as though I have experienced multiple lifetimes within a single lifetime - from my adolescence to my teenage years, from young adulthood to motherhood, and now, here I am, a grandmother to 11. Each phase of my life has been a mix of blessings and bittersweet memories. I find myself missing it all.

But now, I recognize the need to graciously let go of what no longer serves me and be open to the possibilities that lie ahead. As we welcome the New Year, the tradition is to leave the past behind and embrace the new. However, it's important to note that this process involves reflecting on our past, acknowledging our imperfections, and striving to become a better version of ourselves. For my part, I have committed to a 365-day calendar of positive thinking. Yesterday's mantra was "if it makes you happy, do it!" It encourages us not to overthink our choices, whether they be small steps or giant leaps. As long as they are leading us in the right direction, they are worth taking.

With the clear intention of personal growth and a positive mindset, I am ready to embark on this new chapter and see where it takes me.

I spent some time with Matthew this weekend and he said the funniest thing to me.. but one that made me think: 

Matthew: what if we had some cataclysmic catastrophe and the entire population was wiped out… then years later the earth began to populate again and they found a Harry Potter book and thought our god was a wizard and people use to fly on brooms?!?

I laughed way too hard at that!

Today, like every day, Dennis asked me if there was something he could do for me. 

Me:  you could mail these for me.  I was going to yesterday but I didn’t have time.

Dennis: well give me your keys.  I hate going to the post office it’s like all the traffic…..

Me: I know!  You have said it 100 times!

Dennis: well I need to make sure you know I’m not happy about it

Aging Gracefully is Harder than it Looks!

We all want to look and feel beautiful, but as time marches on, it sometimes feels like it’s stomping right across our faces (thanks, Truvy, for the brutal honesty). And she's not wrong. With today’s world of fillers, Botox, nips, tucks, bleach bottles, and diet pills, women are spending an extraordinary amount of money just to slow down the clock—or at least give the illusion we can.

But here’s a thought to wrinkle that perfect facade (pun intended): what if beauty isn't about fighting time but about honoring it? Think of the women who came before us—the matriarchs of our families, whose laugh lines told stories of joy and resilience. We revered them, not for their lack of crow’s feet, but for their wisdom, warmth, and unwavering sense of self.

Now, imagine teaching the next generation that this kind of beauty—the kind that radiates from who we are, not how we look—is what truly matters. It’s not enough to say, "You’re perfect just the way you are." We have to live it. Imperfections and all. Wear those laugh lines like a badge of honor, because they’re proof you’ve lived, loved, and laughed (probably at your own bad jokes). And honestly, isn’t that far more beautiful than anything a syringe or diet pill can promise?