A Few Things from Our 2010s I’m Just Gonna Leave Here

December 31, 2019

Today we awoke on the threshold of a new year – one that is perhaps a bit more weighted as the starting line for a new decade.

As I age, and particularly as I watch my family grow older together, I’ve become increasingly fond of meandering down memory lane.

At the start of the last decade, we were wrangling a freshly minted three-year-old and his 20-month-old sister. I’m confident we rung in the new year bleary-eyed as many do. Only I imagine we were changing a diaper instead of enjoying the last of the bubbly. Quite frankly, those years were a blur of giggles, playtime, potties, and just enough sleep to keep Ken and me alive (and functioning reasonably well at work). It’s hard to believe I entered the last decade as a 34-year-old newish mother and am leaving with a teenager and his trusty tween companion. And that’s just one example of how a meander down my memory lane plays back a sprint. The days are long and the years are short indeed.

Because my memory is now 44 years old along with the rest of me, I wanted to do my 54-year-old self a solid and capture some things that made our 2010s well…ours.

Strong Roots Don’t Die, They Spread.

PHL to PDX. The most significant move was spreading our roots clear across the country in Portland, OR after a lifetime in Philadelphia, PA. Scary as hell, but the risk was worth it: we now have a fantastic tribe that spans coast-to-coast.

ToddlersPreSchoolSchoolAgeMiddleSchool.

Yes. It happens that fast. And, for families like ours, which started in the latter half of the 2000s, it not only happened that fast, it happened within the boundaries of this decade. If the 2010s are the decade where we raised our families, the 2020s will be the decade where we buttress them, so they withstand the test of time.

Defining Legacies.

It was a tough decade as we navigated the loss of too many. Five grandparents left a legacy for our families to build upon as their guiding hands and hearts transitioned into guiding lights. A handful of friends/mentors joined them. All who have gone before us, however, have bolted pieces onto us, making us better…making us whole…solidifying their presence and impact for generations to come.

Realizing the Unexpected Power of Distance.

PDX to PHL. The 2010s were the decade where we lived “distance makes the heart grow fonder.” It’s effing hard to leave your family to chase a few dreams. But if we didn’t go, we would never have experienced the inexplicable joy of coming home to open arms that are bursting with pent up love as our hearts unfurl together to dance the perfect dance of kindred spirits.

Finding What Matters.

Trust yourself: it’s almost never the career and almost always your happiness and loved ones. Life is short – prioritize the latter. It will be OK…perhaps even amazing.

Building the Tribe.

Your people. Knowing them. Carrying them. Leaning on them. Discovering them. Building them up. Building them out. Holding them tight. Pushing them forward with your wind in their sails. Loving them always. Stoking their flames so you power the future…together.

Sending love, happiness, peace, and good fortune to you and yours as we enter the 2020s.

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