One of my favorite Jimmy Buffett songs includes the line: “Some of it’s magic, some it's tragic, but I had a good life all the way.”
Looking back at 2025, it’s been filled with things that were good, things that seemed magical, things that were negative, and things that were truly tragic.
The magical times in my life included celebrating family milestones. In 2025, my family celebrated one of my nephews graduating from college in May, the marriage of my niece, Caroline, and her husband, Jacob, on Labor Day weekend, and the marriage of my nephew, Reagan, and his bride, Madi, this month (mid-December).
Celebrating milestones with dear ones has definitely been a positive part of 2025!
Other positives from 2025:
I’ve spent this year enjoying my retirement. I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer, to protest, and to write.
- I participated in Mega Marcha 2025 for Bipartisan Immigration Reform in downtown Dallas.
- I called politicians regarding HB2 and the Affordable Care Act.
- I protested along with many others regarding our current administration.
- I called my Texas Representative and my Texas Senator and told them to vote NO on SB10 and SB12 and explained why they aren't in the best interest of Texans.
- Why do I bother? I'll confess that I'm one of the fortunate ones: a retired, middle-class, middle-aged, straight, white woman who was born in this country. So that is why I MUST bother! Those of us who are fortunate need to stand up for those who are not. We need to advocate for the marginalized.
I started this blog in February 2025. My word for 2025 was WRITE, and this blog is a way for me to publish some of my writing. My plan was to write on a regular basis, and, other than August and September, I did publish at least once a month. Hopefully, I’ll improve upon that in 2026 and not miss a month.
I’ve also started substitute teaching this year, and I really enjoy it. I needed a year outside of education to rest and catch my breath, but in August 2025, I started subbing, and it’s been great. I love that I set my own schedule and the district I sub for is great!
This year, I joined a United Methodist church that I feel like I can trust. I’ve been attending for a few years now, so I finally joined it this year. It’s a good thing! (Side note: I actually read the entire Bible, front to back, for the first time this year….what an ODD BOOK! Perhaps, I'll write about that at another time.)
Another major change this year is that I FINALLY stopped eating what I refer to as “recreational sugar” again. It’s definitely my drug of choice, and when I stay away from it, I’m much more under control food-wise. However, even a little recreational sugar is a trigger for me. I stopped eating it on January 1st of this year. Other than special occasions, I’ve avoided “recreational sugar” all year and lost 48 pounds. My goal is to lose more, but it’s good to know that I’ve started.
*****
Nationally, there have been some very tragic times this year.
- The July 4th flash-flooding killed over 130 people in the Texas Hill Country.
- There is now a prison in Florida called Alligator Alcatraz where people have had their pictures taken in front of its sign and laughed about the concept of humans being eaten by alligators.
- Humanitarian concerns regarding the immigration crisis, women's rights, lgbtq+ rights, etc. continue in our country.
- The government was shutdown for an extended amount of time which caused many people who depended upon the goverment for assistance to go without paychecks and/or food, etc.
- Many people lost their goverment jobs this year.
- Our nation remains so politically divided that Americans argue with each other about the way that living beings are treated.
When the news is filled with tragedy, turmoil, and trauma, it’s so easy to want to give up and just ignore everything.
But, we need to keep swimming.
Keep going.
Keep following our paths.
Whatever that path might be.
Keep swimming and encourage others.
Keep using our strengths to help society.
Keep speaking up and speaking out.
We need to keep swimming and stick together.
Each of us has strengths that are much-needed by society. Of course, it’s important to practice self-care, but please don’t give up. Use your strengths to help society and never forget to keep swimming.
