Dear 2023,

When we met, you appeared slightly disheveled, but I thought you’d get your act together. I kept thinking it was me, but it was all you. I’ve never met such a selfish, prickly year in all my life. You came out punching with your wars, your inflation, your natural disasters and your absolute disregard for peace and harmony. You have messed with the whole balance of things while taking a lot of joy from others, especially me. Wishing you farewell will bring me loads of misplaced mirth. Sure, I’ve had bad years in the past, but you were not kind in your passing. You left me pretty broke, broken. and sad most days.

Ok ok, you gave me February. I was gifted a half-century of life and in the most fullest of ways. There was deep appreciation for all those who celebrated the passing of 50 years gone by. It was nice to feel so loved and acknowledged. You also gave me my friend back after so many years of us living across the country from each other. You also gifted me some great music (Nick Cave especially), and some new friends to watch LFC matches with, nothing says love when a group of you are questioning a ref’s VAR calls. Out of all these things, you showered me with, none hold a candle to what unexpected delight that our Sir Francis’ introduction has brought. I did not think I’d ever be a feline mom again, but alas, he chose us and quite frankly a welcome replacement for your relentless attitude. I’m glad I’ve ended up with full custody of the lil fella.

You also tooketh away…and harshly. You brought death and destruction with you including several family and friends. How very unkind of you. I wish I liked you more, but your mere demeanor was sour. You left me in awkward conversations, social desolation like I’ve never experienced, and lest we not forget the dreaded “change”. I have never felt less like myself than with you. So, 2023 I leave you gladly, happily, and with vigor. I’ve met someone new and they appear to be more promising, we haven’t quite made it official, but it is right there on the horizon.

They’ve already brought me new clients and a new work home. They’ve promised me some great work-in-laws, and special endeavors. They’ve set me up for success and love. In turn, I’ve promised to listen to my heart more and to stop going against my instincts. I’ve also decided that I want to start looking my best for them by choosing to be healthier and fitter, I do have these cute leather pants I’d like to fit into so that we may enjoy more dancing in the future. I have also showed them I’m more interested in spending time together exploring the city more and taking more time to reconnect with my surroundings as well as traveling more. They have expressed the need for me to feel alive again and that they will hopefully aid in that endeavor. They are challenging me to be more patient, to spend less time worrying about what I cannot change, and to write more. The inspiration you brought me was short lived and used up and 2024 would like to give that back to me so I may create bigger and better things. I couldn’t be more hopeful, more excited, and more honest about leaving you behind.

So, thanks 2023, you did the bare minimum and left me exhausted and depleted and now it is time to be lifted and full again. Isn’t that what this is all about? Breaking it all so that we build something new to create something different? I’m glad I will never see you again, here’s to goodbye and letting things lie where they belong. Please don’t write, call, or text. You are dead to me. 2024 is bringing me a Dragon. Let the romance begin...