Farewell, 2024: Looking back at a tough year

 “An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” —William E. Vaughan, journalist and author

Whenever a year comes to an end, it’s traditional to reflect on the events of the previous months. And what a wild ride this year has been.

For starters, Doug’s 93-year-old mother had a stroke and was hospitalized in February, which led to more caregiving changes and challenges for her and our family. My mother-in-law is the last surviving parent we have. As our elders decline, we’re reminded to make the most of our own senior years while we find the resources and energy to care for others. 

This fall, I developed some worrisome symptoms that led to a fist-clenching thyroid biopsy involving 16 needles in my throat — and no anesthesia. After a week of anxious waiting, I learned the results were benign. The way I see it, every health scare, every biopsy we endure, offers a lesson. There are so many things we can’t control, including the DNA we inherit. Deep down, we know that everyone has an expiration date, and we can’t dodge the bullets forever. Which is why it’s essential to seek out more joy while we’re here on earth.

It’s no secret that the outcome of the presidential election in early November was not joyful for me and the people I love. The nonstop, toxic political drama knocked me to my knees — and I’m still battling feelings of existential angst and mistrust that I won’t elaborate on here. Suffice to say that I love my country and I wish we weren’t in such a sad state of disunity.

In late November the year took another crushing turn, slamming to a near-tragic finale when my dog Coco was hit by a car. It happened in front of our home while I watched in a state of helpless horror. The driver didn’t bother to stop, and once again, I found myself questioning the basic nature of humanity. (What sort of person wouldn’t realize they’d hit a 52-pound shepherd on a residential street?) Coco survived the accident with breaks and fractures, and has been in an eight-week recovery mode since then.

Not long after Coco’s accident, Doug and I learned that a good friend — who’s always been a cheerful model of perfect health — had surgery to remove a brain tumor and will undergo chemo as the new year begins. The sobering news threw my own worries into a different perspective.

In retrospect, the entire year served as a reminder that we can’t take anything or anyone we treasure for granted. In her most recent blog, author Cheryl Richardson wrote that 2024 had been a year of many losses for her. “Our mortality is a calling card for life” as well as a wake-up call, she advised. “Pay attention to the people you love, the moment in front of you, and how you show up in the world.”  Amen to that.

I want to close with a sincere expression of gratitude, because, in spite of all the bad juju, gratitude is mostly what I’m feeling as 2024 ends. 

I’m grateful for the dearest family I could ask for — a loving, supportive husband who’s always there for me, a caring son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson who makes me laugh, and a team of kindred friends and neighbors who continually refuel my sense of community.

And every morning when I head downstairs to start a pot of coffee, I’m grateful to find Coco waiting for me, tail wagging, ready to begin another new day. This sweet-natured rescue dog has shown me, yet again, that I can heal and grow stronger in my broken places too.

Last week, I ran across a quote from an unknown source that summed up my wish for the year ahead: “Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives.” 

Wherever you are, I hope you can look back on your year with a grateful heart. Here’s to good health, peace, fresh starts, and resilience for all of us. ~Cindy La Ferle

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