Right before this New Year began
I read through a dozen years of appointment
books that sat in a wicker basket on a shelf
in my den. I had hours for contemplation,
a rush of remembrance, sadness, joy.
This is what I learned.
There were days rich with memory
of the many thoughtful lunches with friends
still in my life and reminders of people
who’d dropped away thru death or desire.
Looking through the pages I acknowledged
far too many hours in work – though
creative, productive, and highly satisfying.
Good to see I enjoyed NYC and attended
theatre, concerts, dance and showed up in
museums and even to the circus – 3 years
in a row!
Noted visits with my small family system,
had some recognition of men’s names from
occasional dates – though disappointingly,
no hand clings to mine.
A review of the years confirm I have dealt
with adversity and loss. Growth has been
hard-won by fully embracing, challenging
and respecting ALL of my life. I am grateful
for riding the waves.
Jane Seskin, LCSW is a psychotherapist and writer. Her latest work is the poetry collection OLDER WISER SHORTER: An Emotional Road Trip to Membership in the Senior Class, and an essay for the Anthology Chicken Soup for the Soul: Get Out of you Comfort Zone. She’s been a writer-in-residence at the Vermont Studio Center and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2022. (She’s also got a love for sourdough bread, jazz, and good friends!)
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