Martin Luther King, Junior remarked, “I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.” Those words ring true as we collectively get comfortable in 2022. We tip toed into the New Year with cautious optimism and hope. We listen and learn from others’ perspectives.

Happy New Year!

Our youngest whispered with gratitude and wisdom, “This will be a great year.” We continue to visualize and practice what that means. We still navigate the malaise of the pandemic and other tragedies on a global scale. Yet we learn from humbling teachable moments within our community at school. We focus on our values, e.g., love, unity, equality, inclusion, peace, justice, and respect.

My husband elaborates on football with our boys, “Leaders’ attitude, behavior, and commitment define them.” When our oldest carries the heavy boxes full of decorations to the garage with a sweet smile, my heart fills with joy.

Savor the Good

Simple everyday choices and actions demonstrate our behavior. We challenge dear friends to 15,000 daily step and wellness challenges with apps to track our progress. We plan to achieve those goals. My parents also track their steps with their Apple watches. Preparation like hard work, good sleep and nutrition soften the blow of obstacles, tension and challenges. We adapt and evolve with change.

Commit to Excellence

How do you envision the New Year? Despite some cold days in Chicago and occasional bleak news, we savor the sunshine, and kindness. The late Maya Angelou remarked, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” To embrace the beauty of simple pleasures, we conserve our energy with forgiveness and love in favor of positive change and growth. Best wishes for a New Year of good health, joy, and love. XO