It’s Been A Better Year
Well, in just three more days, my gym is going to get more crowded again, an annual ritual. Ever since Covid-19, I have done all I can to be in the gym alone so as not make people feel they need to do anything to protect me in the gym, like wiping down equipment or staying out when they are sick. But with the new year’s rush, I will now likely get to the gym even before the sun comes up, or just before I go to bed.
I don’t do resolutions, rather, I should say I do not do them anymore. This annual “tradition” of making a promise to oneself to “do” or “give up,” more than often ends up in futility and failure. I already don’t drink or smoke, I don’t eat candy, I may let my blood pressure rise in traffic (unavoidable with Florida drivers), but really, there are not any behaviors I want to change. That is the key word, “want” to change.
Instead, I like to look back at the year that has passed. And better than any resolution that I could have made and broken, upon reflection, I like to recognize if I had a good year, or perhaps not as good as it could have been, and what could have been different.
Over these last four decades, it is not often that I have gone through a year without at least one challenge. But 2023 will be one of those years (I am knocking on wood right now as there is still three days left). 2023 has been a pretty good year for me.
2023 marked the end of my term dealing with the family court system. Like for many, and I know my trolls who actively participated in my divorce reading this, will enjoy this sentence, these last ten years of have been both a struggle and a nightmare. My sole focus of survival had been on my daughters, my health and everything else be damned. And I did it. For ten years, I navigated the family courts with all I had, and against everything that had been thrown at me. And in the end, for those that wanted nothing more than my daughters to turn against me, they lost
As my second daughter turned 18, the relationships with my daughters took a new turn. We now deal with only each other. Every decision, every visit, every conversation, is between the two of us. And while others may continue to want to try to interfere or demean the relationship, it is over.
I want to be careful with this next paragraph, not to manifest anything, but having passed my 2nd anniversary since my heart valve repair, it has now been my 2nd year of just follow ups. Though I do have a stat that is being watched, overall, everything has been stable. No trips to a… well, you know.
Another good year of health, means that I have also reached more milestones in my survivorship. I reached my lowest weight in over thirty years, cracking 200 pounds having lost thirty-eight pounds this year. I have now seen both my daughters graduate high school, something fifteen years ago had almost been taken away from me, and a fight every year since. Now, both are in college and doing well. I have my eyes set on my next milestone, of course with them, seeing them graduate college. As each year passes for me, I know the odds become more difficult with my health history, but I am so close. This is within my grasp.
https://a.co/d/2JRZsZ3 (this is the link to the book on Amazon)
And finally to top off 2023, I published my first book, “Paul’s Heart – Life As A Dad And A 35-Year Cancer Survivor.” It took me four years, and really with nothing to do during Covid-19, it should have been done much sooner. It is still surreal to me to see my life actually presented in a book. And now, I have five more actually started, sequel/prequel if you will as well as plans for speaking engagements to support the book.
I have nothing on my calendar for 2024, other than following the successes of my daughters with each passing semester, and the directions their lives will take them.
I want to thank you all for following “Paul’s Heart”, now reading my book. I want to wish you all a Happy and Prosperous and Healthy new year. See you in 2024!
Paul's Heart 