Wow! That went fast! The following are both some good and bad things that happened this year:
Kim and I watched our son score his first college basket live and in person up in New York State.
It was an incredible feeling to have as a parent.
I caught a whole mess of fish. I mean a lot of them.
You may already know, but fishing is a treat I’ve allowed myself to have now that we are empty nesters. This happens in Sarasota Bay mostly. We catch Redfish and Snook primarily and other fish too. It’s my way of being outside these days.
I traveled to see a dear friend who needed to be surrounded by friends at the time.
It makes me think, “What else can I do to be a good friend?”
Our son came home from college for the summer and promptly retreated to his room.
He came out mostly to eat in the middle of the night. My grocery bill went up dramatically.
As noted in my last blog, I took an incredible family reunion trip to Germany.
That was my first time spending any real time there. On the way there, I must admit that Kim and I took a five-day bike trip in the Netherlands and Belgium. We were mostly along the canals on bike paths. It was gorgeous. There were lots of cows and windmills, of course.
My son-in-law Zach joined our business practice; that’s pretty cool!
I put together a reunion of the guys I went to High School with.
We are all still so close. It was gratifying to see them all. There are high-level police officers, bankruptcy trustees, Publix career employees, a pastor, business owners, and more. I love those guys.
I worked out a lot.
I do that most days. Sometimes life gets in the way, though, even if you wake up early. This is my happy place. I want to take care of myself so I can do a good job of taking care of my family and you, my clients.
Sadly, I’ve had a few absolutely crushing deaths of friends lately.
When a friend is a client, I have a very deep understanding of their values, family, and desires. But it’s devastating to deal with, frankly. The loss of someone so young with a family to raise is unfathomable. So is the loss of a mature person who has lived his dream life. I pray this coming year is not so cruel in that regard. This also makes me think, “How can I be a better friend?”
Have you thought about what your 2025 will look like? I need to do that myself. What story will you be able to write about the coming year? If I can help, please reach out. I’m here for you.
December 2024
