Today is the Winter Solstice.  The shortest day of the year, the longest night of the year.  I look back and see I have written nothing since August.  It’s been a busy summer, a busy fall and a busy winter too…

But I wonder….

Where did the time go? How did I spend the time that I wasn’t checking in and sharing my thoughts?

Well… let’s have a look. 

September, Labor Day Weekend specifically, Eric and I travelled to Phoenix, AZ to visit his Uncle Norm.  Norm’s wife Karen was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer and it’s important to be there for the family.  I attended my first board retreat for my position on the Apartment Association Board, super insightful, and I’m looking forward to continuing to be an active part of the industry in which I work.  We also travelled to San Diego to be present at Leo’s graduation from USMC basic training… OoohRah! I also had my interview as a finalist for the AAMD Tributes Grand Award named for Jack Shapiro, and industry giant and person to model your being after.  I got serious about my diet…. mostly because if I win the Jack Shapiro Award, I want to be confident in how I look going on stage to accept this award.

Vanity.  It certainly is a motivator.

Then there’s October, and frankly… I’m just not sure what happened with October. In fact, I just looked at the calendar on my phone and Outlook and really couldn’t tell you what I did.  I attended a Chili Cook Off….but if I’m being honest the rest, well… I just can’t account for it.  Not in a dementia kind of way…in the being passive and unintentional kind of way.

November…. WOW! November!  

On November 9, 2018 I attended the Apartment Association Tributes Awards, and won.  I hadn’t prepared anything, really not expecting to win.  I am honored and humbled and grateful to be in a class of professionals I respect and admire. And my dress…. amazing.  Hair….amazing.

And truth. 

The highlight of the evening happened on my way to the elevator, a woman stopped me and my husband from closing the door to tell me that her children thought I looked beautiful.

I believe them.

We traveled to Phoenix for Thanksgiving.  Karen has opted to for-go treatment.  She wasn’t a strong surgical candidate, and has declined chemo and radiation.  She’s strong in her faith, and visibly more frail.  We were able to spend some time with she and Norm, having the uncomfortable but needed “What next?” conversations. We saw movies… Green Book is fantastic, go see it.  So is Ralph Breaks the Internet and Creed II.  All entertained me in some way….

I reached the $1,000,000.00 mark in my sales career on November 30th, surpassing my 2017 number of $866,199.00. certainly not easy, but so rewarding to reach something I once imagined impossible.

All of that brings me to today.  December 21st, the winter solstice. The shortest day of the year. Karen’s mother says hospice is thinking Karen has 4-5 days maybe left.  Such a small period of time. So we wait and prepare ourselves for necessary travel to support Norm, to support Karen’s family, and to start making the very hard decisions yet to come.

And then there’s tomorrow. 

The days will start getting longer, the sun will shine on us for a longer while, and the nights become shorter.  So today is necessary, if only that we’re able to recognize that the dark of today is always followed by the light of tomorrow.