Am I the only one who feels like they’ve just gotten off a rollercoaster in the Twilight Zone? One minute I’m looking forward to returning to the normalcy that I had hoped 2022 would bring, and now I’m dizzy from the ups, downs, and twists that indicated the rollercoaster ride wasn’t quite finished. Still, as I look back at 2022, it had more ups than downs. I always love to end on a positive, so I’m going to quickly mention the crazy.
Let’s see, we had disease (COVID variants, RSV, Flu), election chaos (rounds 1 and 2 if you live in Georgia), record inflation, blizzards, drought, famine, flood, earthquakes, war (Russia invaded Ukraine), deaths (Queen Elizabeth II, Barbara Walters, Jessica Lansbury, Sidney Poitier, Pope Benedict XVI, Nichelle Nichols, Ramsey Lewis, and Pele, just to name a few), and then the US Supreme Court reversed Roe vs Wade. Whew! Is it any wonder my head is spinning? That’s a lot for one year, and those are just the headliners. We’ve gone through a lot in twelve short months. Yet, in spite of everything, “We’re still standing,” (queue up Elton John).
Even with all of that, 2022 wasn’t all bad. There were a lot of good things that happened too. Mortality rates from cancer have been declining in the US, Europe, Canada, and Japan. A new drug for Alzheimer’s is showing positive signs for reducing memory loss. Animals on the verge of extinction in Africa are making improvements (tigers, giraffes, cheetahs, and rhinos). These are major events that we can all share globally. Not on the same scale, but huge for me, My short story, The Vermeer Conspiracy, was a finalist for the Anthony and Edgar Awards. And, I crossed an item off my bucket list when I got a positive review in the New York Times for Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder.
When looking backward, it’s easy to focus on the negatives and ignore the positives. In fact, after a day or two, human nature will practically forget the good things. So, as we say our goodbyes to 2022, let’s make a concerted effort to appreciate the good things that happen each and every day. I have a ritual that I have done with my dad for years. Everyday when I call, I always ask, “Are you having a good day?” My dad’s response is always the same. “Every day above ground is a good day.” I learned that was a quote attributed to Ernest Hemingway (and apparently Al Pacino in Scarface and Pitbull). Over the years, my dad has shortened his response to, “Everyday is a good day,” but I know what he means. That little ritual keeps me grounded and reminds me that regardless of what’s going on personally or globally, I’m still here and I have much to be thankful for. Happy New Year!
