Here's my coming year according to the horoscope in The Washington Post:
You're sensitive and intuitive. You have empathy for others. You are also fair-minded and just. This year you reap the benefits of your hard work. Expect power and leadership, along with a promotion, kudos or an award. Seize business opportunities and act on them.
I'd like to think at least some of that might be true. I'm retired, so I doubt a promotion is in the picture. As for business opportunities, I'd only act on one that could be considered a slam dunk. I don't have the energy right now for anything else.
As happens every year, my birthday compels me to ponder whatever resolutions I made six months ago as the new year dawned. The sole resolution for 2025 was to try to follow the wisdom in a quote a dear friend sent me; she told me it came from a blog or source noted as Sweatpants and Coffee. That wisdom?
When life is hectic and you are overwhelmed, and your brain is like a squirrel darting across a busy street, remember that all you ever have to do at any given moment is the next thing. You can manage that. Also, you should drink some water.
This seemed like a good resolution at the time because of how overwhelmed I felt. Honestly, I don't think I succeeded at all in putting its advice to good use. I tried, and on a good day I might have succeeded. I'll keep at it for another six months and see where I am then. Right now, today, I do not feel overwhelmed and am checking off the things I'd like to accomplish today. One at a time. If I don't finish the list, there's always tomorrow.
When I turned 49 and faced the 50th year of my life, I noted that a business would make a big deal of a 50th year. My younger son suggested I write down 50 things to do in my 50th year. I did, and I got through many of them, though not all in the year in question. I very, very briefly thought about doing something similar in this, my 70th year, but decided that pursuing the resolution above was enough. It is, however, tempting to think of seven, and I might still do that before the day is done.
Finally, Happy Canada Day! I like being in such good company when it comes to birthdays. To celebrate, I am wearing my "CANADA looking good by comparison since 1867" t-shirt. Spouse and I still consider running away to the Great White North to escape where this country appears to be headed. I don't really like running away, though, so for now we'll see where things go, just as I will continue to see where things will go in my coming year.
