A lot happened in 2017. Some things were shocking, some were expected, and some shocking things should have been expected. Donald Trump was sworn in as president. We learned that Hollywood was full of perverts. The Houston Astros won the World Series. Congress was a dysfunctional mess. The stock market went crazy. Terrorists and crazy people did horrific things. There are so many things on which I could reflect.
For me, the most important thing to reflect on is me. 2017 taught me many things, some things I never saw coming and many things I should have known already. Here are some of them-
Kindness is the best response. Several times this year I found myself needing to respond to someone who had said bad things about me on social media. While my initial instincts were to be defensive or fight back, I forced myself to swallow my pride and to be kind. The result was saved relationships, better understanding, and resolved conflict.
Time with my wife is never wasted. For the first time in our marriage Lisa and I took some weekend getaways in addition to a few vacations. Each time I came back refreshed, rejuvenated and even more in love.
Anger is an incredibly useless emotion. I still spend way too much time on it.
I need to stop trying to control things I can’t control. Whether it be my kids, my dogs or my patients, I have very little power over others. I need to accept this.
I need to live in the present. There is so much good I can do by being faithful right now. I often worry about what will come next or what God is going to do in the future. Each day brings opportunities to do good. I need to make sure I do not miss them.
Grandchildren are the most amazing thing ever, and more addictive than crack cocaine. Every time I see Charlie, I end up wanting more!
Here's hoping for a better me in 2018!
Happy New Year-
Bart