River Brown

I promise that this year I will write more.  And it will be writing for me.  Writing about my skeletons in the closet, childhood memories both painful and joyful, portraits of people who have crossed my path and silly stories of things that make all of us smile. I will not count emails or PD designing as writing.

I promise to read more.  I will finish reading Don Graves’ book Children Want to Write and after that I will have another book ready.  I have forgotten that I am a voracious reader and that I love getting lost in the worlds created from books.  I will return to reading 5th grade novels because they are absolutely the best to read.  How can we say no to a book like Tuck Everlasting or Lassie? And my heart just skipped a beat as I remembered Where the Red Fern Grows…

I promise to call or visit more often with my mom and dad. I will stop making excuses and just do it. No, I don’t have THAT much work to do that I cannot set aside a few minutes to call or arrange a quick weekend trip.  What’s the point of having a car if I don’t use it to see my family?  And what will I do when my parents reach their peak and I don’t have them anymore?  Now is the time to spend life with them.

I promise to not get so stressed out from work that I cannot sleep or think of anything else other than it.  I will remember that this is my only life, I don’t get do overs, so I better start to enjoy every moment of it. Besides, it’s not good for my health to get all frazzled over work.

And I promise to say thank you more often because I am truly thankful for what I have and for the wonderful people that surround me.