We say “goodbye” to 2022 and “hello” to 2023. The past year has been a difficult year for many; it has also been a time of joy for some.
I know I can learn something about living in 23 from my experiences of 22.
I keep a notebook, a kind of daily diary—just a few sentences each day which describe the day, events, people, thoughts, ideas, etc. Mostly I jot down the names of people with whom I had connection that day.
This daily exercise began when I heard from one of my teachers that he kept such a list; he called the notebook “People I have Breathed On Today”.
Each New Year’s Eve I settle back with the notebook and just page through it, beginning with the first entry—January 1, 2022.
I call to mind the faces of so many people and the action we had on that day; the words spoken, the joy shared and the grief borne.
A record of success and failure allows for reflection and perhaps different ways of thinking.
Mostly I remember people and give thanks for them; who they are is part of who I am – that is the mystery and effect of encounter.
It is good to end the year with a “thank you” – for all that has been and for all there is yet to be. Gratitude is giving to others what is their due.
I am thankful for you.
With gratitude,
Father Steve Adrian
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