Dear Fellow Wonderers,

Well, another year is coming to a close. I cannot believe how fast it passed even though I felt like I was literally living my own Groundhog Day. I’m sure many of you can relate. Since COVID entered our lives in early 2020, most of us have been living in very small worlds and doing the same mundane things. Luckily, I have the animals and property to keep me busy even if I can’t be busy living a life outside of my home. So with that thought in mind, I’m taking a look back at 2021 and reflecting on all the lessons I learned and nuggets of wisdom I gained.

2021 definitely was not the year most of us hoped for at the end of 2020. Here is a brief summary from Time.com, “It was a lurching, stammering year that began in hope, flirted with whiplash, and shuddered to a halt. In 2021, miraculously effective vaccines showed up, a new President promised unity, and a jury convicted the man who killed George Floyd. It was also the year that supporters of the losing candidate took over the U.S. Capitol, Asian-Americans were given new reason to fear for their lives, and COVID-19 people killed Americans at a faster rate than before free, life-preserving injections were available across the land. Is it any wonder that, from Naomi Osaka to Simone Biles, the deliberate preservation of mental health–resilience was a major theme?” And that’s just the USA!! I can’t even begin to discuss the entire world. I don’t know about you, but even this infrequent news reader found this year to be head spinning and I’m sure 2022 will be just as dizzying.

I’m not going to sit here and make resolutions nor will I ponder the future. No, I’m going to wonder about just how good 2021 was for me. After all, I have my health and home, my family and friends, decent food and finances, and I managed to learn a few new things. Sure there were some set backs, but those happen even in the best of times. So without further ado, I will share my personal top twelve lessons from 2021. If any resonate with you, I hope you’ll take the time to click on the provided links and read the full wonderings.

1. One January morning a manure filled water trough re-taught me a valuable lesson. “That silly mistake turned valuable learning experience is what made a potentially frustrating and messy situation easy to handle. As my Dad always said when I would bemoan any blunder made, “it’s cheaper than going to college and you learn just as much.” He was a wise man…….Often we spend so much time focused on a problem that we fail to see all the potential ways to solve it.” - Lessons Learned

2. Watching my goats interact made me realize that they each have unique personalities and so do we and regardless of species sometimes our differences can be hard to handle. “We all have different needs and wants. These differences are what influence how we interact with others. Perhaps you act aggressively towards others if you think your opinions are the only correct ones. This may cause people to openly dismiss you or quietly retreat from you and you find yourself all alone. Maybe you put too much emphasis on obtaining the unattainable because you think it will make your life better but the pursuit leaves you broke and exhausted. My point is this: We are all individuals who have their own desires but we are still part of a larger community on which we rely. “ - No Kidding

3. A winter’s day walk with my daughter was what got me to wondering about the ancient Oak we have grown to love. “If you take some of the words that are associated with the mighty oak - life, strength, wisdom, nobility, family, loyalty, power, longevity, heritage, and honor - and apply them to how you live your life then you will have a life well lived. I mean really apply them; not just for show, but even when no one is looking. Your life will be even better lived if you surround yourself with people who also possess these qualities.” - The Mighty Oak

4. When my dear friend Kay, a true animal lover and rescuer, posted about tossing a burrito at a pillow she feared was an injured animal, I couldn’t help but admire her dedication to animal welfare. “It reminded me that good is happening in this world and in our own backyards; that some people do care enough about the lives of others to take time out of their own to see if they can help. It also reminded me that I have some really amazing friends, who assume responsibility for animals and nature, in my life. Knowing this fills me with immense gratitude.” - For the Love of Animals

5. The start of Spring with it’s emerging plants and active animals gave me a chance to wonder about change and the future and I learned that sometimes it’s better to just enjoy the now. “Surrendering is definitely out of my comfort zone. I can go with the flow with the best of them but their are some things in life for which I need to have a plan. It is at these moments that having the squirrel as your spirit animal is ideal. It is great to be a planner and organizer so I am ready for what the future holds but it isn’t worth wasting all my energy on something that hasn’t happened yet. I must remember to just be in the moment.” - A Brighter Tomorrow

6. By mid April, the land was coming alive and I was able to enjoy the rebirth and feel grateful for all I have. “This wondering made me realize that gratitude has to be sown, nurtured, and tended. It doesn’t come from having the best of everything but from having appreciation for everything that we do have.” - Growing Gratitude

7. My daughter’s brutal honesty about my looks got me to wondering about aging and The Golden Girls. “ I did, however, discover the secret to aging gracefully. I’ll give you a hint. It’s got nothing to do with preserving your youthful good looks. Yup, you guessed it. It has everything to do with living your best life and being the best version of who you are today.” - Aging Gracefully

8. Once summer was in full swing I was brought back to my youth by the smell of pineapple weed as I walked down my driveway. I learned that although we can’t turn back time; reliving good memories can make our connection to the present so much stronger. “Well, maybe it [pineapple weed] is a symbol of a life well lived with its qualities of childhood innocence, the work of motherhood, much needed rest, and simple friendship. In other words, the pineapple weed is symbolic of wonderful moments passed and ones yet to be made. It symbolizes the best of what was and what still may be.” - The Pineapple Weed Effect

9. One mid summer day I noticed a cinquefoil growing on a rock and I started to marvel at the tiny example of ecological succession. This in turn got me to wondering about success. “Personally, I think about the blank slate I once was and can’t help but appreciate the combination of knowledge and experience that has shaped me into who I am. My life has been interesting to say the least. I’ve experienced heartbreaking trauma and once in a lifetime thrills. It has been full of fun and hard work as well as blessings and disappointments. I have a life filled with family, responsibilities, hobbies, work, love and friendship. Now if that’s not success, I don’t know what is! “ - Success Story

10. After I wrote Success Story, my summer got a bit crazy with animal health scares, property maintenance, and gardening. However, it was the sudden and potentially deadly illness of my little goat that taught me a lot about goat health and true friendship. “This is how I gained the valuable nugget of wisdom to appreciate anyone who cares about my problems as much as I do. I know I have a true friend when she is willing to sit in a stall on a humid day swatting flies just so the two of us can catch up while cheering on a sickly goat as it slurps down a bowl of milk……..Another nugget of wisdom I garnered is that trying my best even if I am unsure of the outcome is better than not trying at all.” - Nuggets of Wisdom

11. After picking a bunch of ugly apples, I ended the year by wondering about my physical imperfections and the accident that caused them. I happened to post it on the anniversary of the day that changed not only my life, but the lives of some of my family members. “We’ve all had our hardships and everyone bears scars and imperfections from living. I have loved ones who have battled illness and needed surgeries that have forever changed how they look - missing hair, missing limbs, missing breasts, scars similar to mine- and I love them no less. They are still the same beautiful people inside that they always were. Maybe they are even more so because they, just like me, survived something traumatic and are grateful to be alive.” - Them Apples

12. Since this Letter of Reflection is my twelfth post of the year, I will share something that I did not write about during the year, but it had a positive impact on me. During the Spring, Hannah wanted to sign up for crocheting lessons at the local library. I would join her on her weekly visits and learned right along with her. However, Hannah lost interest by the summer. I, on the other hand, not only enjoyed learning a new skill, but I found myself looking forward to seeing our teacher. It turned out that we had so much in common even though we come from two totally different backgrounds. I continued my weekly lessons until the fall and was so excited about our blossoming friendship. I was thinking about taking it to the next level. Well, our meetings came to an abrupt halt when her mother unexpectedly passed away. She hasn’t been back to the library since. I do regularly call and check in at the library to leave a kind word for her. I so wish I had gotten her personal contact info so I could give my condolences and support in person. The lesson I learned from this is don’t hesitate to put yourself out there; whether it is to obtain a new skill or make a new friend (or both). As an adult it can be very hard to make new friends, especially one you feel you have a connection with. I should have exchanged phone numbers with her. I should have asked her out to lunch so we could get to know each other better. If I had, then maybe I’d be able to support her during this difficult time of her life because I have been there myself.

    
    

Thank you for wondering along with me. Here’s to a Happy and Healthy 2022 filled with enough moments of joy and laughter to sustain you through the moments of sorrow and strife.