I asked these questions of Facebook friends a couple of days ago.
This is my distillation of their meaningful crowdsourced responses that can apply to all of us.
In 2020, we are grateful for:
*Making celebrations and milestones special within our family and homes
*Completing new projects and presenting them to the world
*Medical procedures that offered healing and a new lease on life
*Finding renewed partnership at home
*Seeing family members know security and grow in significant ways
*Effective support for personal care
*Landmark events celebrated and developing new creativity using modern technology
*Participating in enriching personal and group study.
*Relearning how to teach students in effective ways and finding strength in that progress
*Connecting across state lines and shorter commute times
*Entering a new fulfilling position that opens so many new doors and opportunities
*Making new friends in the midst of this challenging time
*Discovering new sources of internal resilience
*New turns in careers, necessitated by the pandemic, that resulted in positive changes
In 2021, we are hoping for:
*More small gatherings as the vaccine becomes more readily available.
*Progress on many levels that are the result of new national leadership
*Seeing children and grandchildren in person
*Hugging the grandchildren
*A stable and improving economy
*Substantial improvement in personal health and going out into the community again
*Health and spending time with family and friends in person
*More connection and more travel
*Never taking anything for granted again
*Being with community in synagogue/houses of worship and going out to dinner with friends and family
*Working and worshipping in person and seeing family again
*An ability to sustain hope
*Ever-increasing resilience
On my completion of six months of retirement, I am grateful for:
*Peaceful time at home with Rhonda!
*A chance to review (and downsize) accumulated files and mementos (we are not done!)
*FaceTime conversations with family and friends (including singing to the grandchildren!)
*Maintaining connections via email and social media with family members, friends and colleagues.
*Temple Beth-El study groups which I lead and in which we engage in poignant discussions
*An Interfaith Study Group that meets every Friday, featuring conversation on timely subjects based on the books we read.
*The West Coast Sing-Along group, that presents Havdalah and songs based on a chosen theme on Zoom on the fourth Saturday of each month (join us)!
*NewCAJE in July and early August, and co-organizing the weekly Kumsitz for the conference!
*Study sessions under the auspices the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis, the National Association of Retired Reform Rabbis, Central Conference of American Rabbis, American Jewish University, Hava Nashira, Shabbat Shira, The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center (NYC), Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and other groups.
*Working with my Bat Mitzvah students.
*Sharing music and continued songwriting.
*The opportunity to write a monthly column for the Las Cruces Bulletin, which enables me to reflect on our current challenges and hopes.
*Photographing sunsets on my own schedule!
Hopes for 2021 include a continuation of all of the above, receiving doses of the vaccine, being able to enjoy in-person time with family members, rejoining community in a common space, and being able to make our move to the midwest once the pandemic subsides.
Sending prayers for all families who are mourning loved ones who died of COVID-19, and for marshaling our combined strength to move forward in 2021 with strength, positivity and optimism!
December 31, 2020 Sunset in Las Cruces
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