The year is nearing its end; it’s a natural time for reflections and recollections. Not that I’m eager for such a summary: this year was horrible. I won’t say I’m looking forward to its end for one reason only: I’m a bit superstitious and I don’t want to jinx myself.

I remember repeating, toward the end of 2019 – oh, I just want this year to be over! It was emotionally devastating–I lost my mother. The next one, however, unleashed this plague upon us and took away my best friend.

This one robbed me of my two cousins (and I have so few of them), and countless singers, actors, writers and artists who were part of my journey to adulthood. I lost my former colleagues and mentors, my friends and acquaintances.

That’s why I’m reluctant to vocalize what many of us feel – enough is enough, give us a break, 2021!

The last few years have changed me. I read less, wrote less, painted less. And I missed it.

Then, as November slipped into December, and December started to crumble, I realized something else: I haven’t stopped reading. Only instead of 50+ books, I read 30+. Instead of a novel, I wrote a 25K novella, and instead of many paintings, I made a few dozen. I posted a couple of blogs, wrote several reviews for my fellow authors. Had an exhibition… Supported my grief-stricken family the best I could from this distance.

So, instead of thinking about what I didn’t do, I looked at what I did and realized these were big and brave achievements, given the circumstances.

There were small ones as well. I baked goodies for my kids, tried new dishes, fell in love with a dragon, sold some books and quite a few paintings, attacked the high ceiling and other walls in my house with rollers and paint in the last stage of two-year-long renovations. I worked from home, was the first to return to the office, and again was the last one to leave it once more.

I hope that the New Year will bring us all relief and the end of the pandemic. My personal wish list isn’t long–on it is good health for my family, a possibility to travel without restrictions, the end of IKEA supply chain issues (most of my new furniture is missing some pieces, usually doors) and things like that.

In addition to another 25K novella, about 30 books to read and a couple of dozen paintings to make. It will suffice.

Happy 2022!