There are eleven days until 2022 arrives. I have not made any New Year resolutions. After years of making and breaking my resolutions, I have given up that exercise. Very often, I make plans and God just laughs at me. It’s like this, I write a plan for the hours of my day. My desk is cleared. I am ready to start a task and a friend calls, upset, needing comfort and sense-making. I slide into that role, away from the policy I planned to edit and forward to a group on social media. My cat jumps on my desk, systematically knocking small things off (ink pen, swat; sticky note, swish) then he pounces into the desk, scattering the organized folders to the floor. He obviously wants attention (food).

The dog looks up at me and sighs. She was sleeping nicely at my feet when his antics started. My phone call ends. I pick up the papers, reorganize them, find the ink pen which rolled under the desk and, sigh, I leave the sticky notes on the floor.

My husband comes to the door asking me to find something for him. He wants to discuss dinner plans or Christmas celebrations. After I find what he was looking for, he goes into the living room, cranks the volume on YouTube “Ancient Aliens.” I breathe deep and ask him to put the headset on. It was a lot easier when I did not work from home. But, I wound not trade hubby, cat, or the dog for anything. They are what makes my life full. I am grateful for them so I do not become so serious in what I do to forget the needs of others – the cat wanting attention, the hubby needing something found, and the dog needing to sleep just a little more.

Hold them close as they add clarity to your life. And, in eleven days, we are blessed with the arrival of 2022. Make your life full of what you value. And, buy books to soothe your soul. I bought these while buying coloring books for my granddaughter.