New Year, New You, part 2

After numerous edits – truth be told, I should have used a whiteboard – I finally narrowed down my list of things I want to do in 2022 to 22.

In no particular order, I’d like to

Read 22 biographies Go to Galveston’s Oktoberfest Watch as the sailboats begin the Harvest Moon regatta Take a trip with my granddaughters Participate in a 5K (confident this will be a walk, not a run) Redo my moon garden Complete the Master TMR course Take photos and document with stories family mementoes Complete one scrapbook Watch Yellowstone Stargaze Clean out cedar chest Get involved with Galveston Historic Foundation or Lafitte Society Have a porch party Practice daily gratitude Take a trip with college friends Build copy editing/copywriting business Publish book Work crossword puzzles daily Perfect a dish cooked with fresh herbs Discard or donate 22 things Master a craft.

As for a new year, new me? My mom gave me some words of wisdom a few days before she died. As we snuggled in her hospital bed, her arms around me as she rubbed my back. Mother said, “You always have such great ideas but you never follow through. You need to believe in yourself. You’re always taking care of everyone else. You need to take care of yourself.” She then added “You need to be happy.” When I asked her why she didn’t tell me that when I was 17, she laughed and said she didn’t know then!

I don’t need to a new me – I need to remember the old me! To remember who I am - my mother's daughter - and Whose I am. I need to remember to laugh, to imagine, to breathe, to be brave, to take chances, to mind my mom. Mother always knew best!

I decided my word of the year will be remember. Remember. I may need an occasional reminder.