My friend Lee decided to do this this year, so I'm following Lee's suggestion. This is a good way to reflect the year that's passed, and I encourage others to do likewise.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Other than having had oral surgery to extract wisdom teeth about 25 years ago, I had never had surgery. I had three surgeries in 2008. The first surgery was a D & C to get a sample of uterine lining after my OB/GYN became alarmed at a thickening in the lining. Fortunately, no cancer was found. The second was to remove my gall bladder. I'd been having increasingly severe gall bladder attacks over the past several years, and the gastroenterologist advised me the gall bladder had to go. The third surgery, and the only one requiring an inpatient stay, was a hysterectomy. These surgeries helped me get over my fear of surgery. I felt very well cared for at St. John, and really appreciated the nuns who came to offer a prayer. I also came to appreciate how wonderful Fr. Joseph is with pastoral care-the Sacrament of Unction was so very comforting, as well as the communion Fr. Joseph brought prior to my hysterectomy. I was very much cheered by the Trinity parishioners who visited in the hospital, called and sent cards-and the Flower Ministry, which brought flowers from the High Altar after one Sunday service.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I have not made resolutions for the past several years, because they always get broken. But I have resolved for 2009 to get less cluttered-to get all the old clothing, shoes, books, and other such stuff that are taking up space out of the house. I've already taken a couple of loads of clothing to a nearby collection box for the Margaret Hudson Program (a program for pregnant and parenting teens in Tulsa).
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What trips did you take?
Due to my health challenges and multiple surgeries, I didn't take any real trips this year. I did make a couple of overnight trips to Oklahoma City for ballet performances.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I'd like to have a healthy relationship with a special man who loves and respects me for who I am, and who is able and willing to make a commitment.
I'd like to have an actual vacation and get away from Tulsa for at least a week.
I'd like to have the air conditioning in my car back.
I'd like to be living in a house closer to downtown.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I'm not good at remembering dates, but there will be several events etched in my memory.
The historic 2008 election. Obviously, I will never forget where I was when MSNBC projected Barack Obama the winner of the presidential election. I will also never forget the watch party at the moment when MSNBC projected Obama to be the presumptive Democratic nominee.
The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra's performance of Mahler Symphony #5 (first time ever for that work in Tulsa), and the 20-minute ovation following the performance.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Writing a successful Major Grant Support application for funding from the Oklahoma Arts Council.
9. Best books you read in 2008?
The Audacity of Hope
10. Song lyric that most reflects 2008?
I've been wracking my minibrain, thinking I couldn't come up with any. But, for some reason, Paul Simon's 1975 hit, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, comes to mind. While the song references ending a romantic relationship, I see the parallells to ending what was (with the exception of Barack Obama's election) a very bad year, and ending the eight-year Bush/Cheney Reign of Terror.
The problem is all inside your head
She said to me
The answer is easy if you
Take it logically
I’d like to help you in your struggle
To be free
There must be fifty ways
To leave your lover
She said it’s really not my habit
To intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning
Won’t be lost or misconstrued
But I’ll repeat myself
At the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways
To leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover
CHORUS:
You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free
She said it grieves me so
To see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do
To make you smile again
I said I appreciate that
And would you please explain
About the fifty ways
She said why don’t we both
Just sleep on it tonight
And I believe in the morning
You’ll begin to see the light
And then she kissed me
And I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways
To leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover
CHORUS
That Time When You Had A Realization
2 years ago
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1 comment:
Quite a year, Martha, indeed.
So much to hope for in the coming year. I hope that at the very least some of what we hope for ourselves comes to pass.
I think we both deserve to catch a break.
I'm convinced, though, that for every painful thing that comes our way, we're made to realize something positive about ourselves that might have gone unnoticed otherwise. So the pain isn't all for nauht.
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