2022 (Belated) Wrap-up

2022 has wrapped up, so it’s time for my annual retrospective blog post. Hooray! I’ve delayed posting this, because I’ve been debating how (or even if) I want to write about the last year.

Collectively, we’ve been in the pandemic now for about two years now, and sadly there appears no real end in sight. Governments and many people seem to have given up on trying to eradicate, or even reasonably contain, Covid-19. To say it’s been a stressor would be putting it mildly. As it stands, even if it had been somehow contained, many of us have yet to recover from the first few big waves of the pandemic. With the push to “return to normal”, there’s been little or no break to recover from the near-constant stress that first year brought us all.

I had set a theme of Broaden Your Horizons for 2022, and I think that was a pretty apt one. 2022 was an enlightening year, both despite and because of challenges. Stressful situations have helped me better understand myself. I’ve been reminded of the adage “when people show you who they are, believe them.” I’ve learned who has my back, and I’ve done my best to let them know how much I appreciate them. I stretched myself in ways I didn’t anticipate, and made a few friends along the way.

Ok, so that all may seem a bit vague, and it’s meant to be. I don’t feel like airing grievances; after all, we’re past Festivus! Plus, it wouldn’t change what has already happened. One thing I am certain of, this life I live would be near-impossible (and not nearly as fun) without my wife and kids. They are and always will be the centre of my universe. I’m incredibly grateful for every day I have with them.

For 2023, I’m setting a theme of Back To Essentials. At this point in my life, I’ve realized that for the moment, I need to stick to the essentials for a while; the bigger things will still be there when I’m ready. That doesn’t mean not learning, growing, or pursuing opportunities. Rather, it means taking a close look at what I’m doing, and whether or not it’s something I have to do now.