As the year comes to a close, I always like to look back on everything that has happened, both good and bad, and take stock. This year, no matter how challenging it has been, I want to do the same.

I started 2025 with a lot of trepidation, concerned about what the new administration would do to our country. I was unemployed and looking for work. But I was ready to resist (my word for 2025) and to do what was needed to protect myself and those around me.

To be completely honest, I don’t remember much of the year, aside from the descent into chaos experienced by this country, the rest of my year was pretty uneventful. For the most part at least, there were a couple of significant things that happened, but on the whole my year was spent reading, looking for work, and driving people places. About mid-year my brother and sister-in-law no longer needed me to transport them, so then I just had mom to chauffer to appointments and the store.

But there were a couple of significant occurrences. I was called for jury duty in October, but it was switched to Grand Jury, so I ended up serving on a Grand Jury panel once a week for two months (October & November). It was interesting and I learned a lot. It also gave me an opportunity to connect with people for a short time at least.

The other notable thing this year was a shift in my mom’s health. The valve she had replaced 15+ years ago is failing and she is an extreme risk for another open heart surgery, so they recommend against it. Her prognosis for the failing valve alone is 1-2 years. Her diabetes and kidney disease complicate that even more. My mom and brother are both convinced that she’ll beat the 2 years and have closer to 5 or 10, I’m less sure of that. I’m the one who is with her every day, so I see all of the things that she struggles with that she doesn’t necessarily share (and denies). I’m hopeful, but preparing myself for what is coming, whether in 1 year or 10.

So this wasn’t necessarily a good year, but it wasn’t a bad year either. I think this was more of a transition year for me. It helped me come to terms with some of the things that happened in the past 3 years. This year also helped me settle into myself and who I am a little more. I want to carry that with me into the next year and beyond.