At Year’s End: 23 Lessons from 2023

Today marks the end of 2023 and is the final blog post of the year.

For me, it has been a different year. For me, I retired from ministry after 50 years. So many people I cared about left this life for the next, a recurring theme as the years tick by. Social Security and Medicare became a maze to navigate.

What do I take from this year?

1. When age makes capacity ebb, become a teacher (which has more value to the future). It is why you became your age!
2. Have a reason to get up in the morning, especially in retirement.
3. Transitions are challenging and take time. Be patient, and the Lord will help you.
4. Difficulty in life is the only way you truly grow resilient, wiser, and happier. The student who doesn’t do the work doesn’t have the satisfaction.
5. Take your health seriously. Neglecting your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being exacts the highest price on earth. Treat them as the most prized of all possessions.
6. People who like to argue their point of view should be listened to but not too seriously.
7. Position and power in life are mirages. It is your influence that makes a profound difference.
8. The janitor who helps many is better than the president who sits at the desk.
9. You will constantly be uncomfortable unless you do something that makes you uncomfortable.
10. Soak in only enough knowledge that you are willing to share with another.
11. Saying yes when you want to say no makes you miserable. Don’t be afraid of that two-letter word.
12. Be kinder than necessary. It may not help another, but you will feel so much better.
    Happiness comes from doing something good for others. All joy is a boomerang of an action taken first.
13. Don’t let days slip by without making a memory. You never get that day back again.
14. Relish good relationships. The most miserable people in the world are the lonely.
15. Do fun things but do it with other people. It makes it sticky and memorable.
16. Never let a day slip when you don’t recognize God’s blessing. Make a list of ten things that happened in the day (even bad ones) that are blessings from the Maker.
17. Set times to recalibrate your life. We get out of sync with God, ourselves, and our friends. Get back on track, but that has to become intentional.
18. Spend time with kids. They keep you looking at life in novel ways. It’s hard to get depressed by a child’s grin and giggle.
19. Life is not what you did but who you are. They are not the same. Make your identity more than a to-do list or position lost in life’s trashcan.
20. On Christmas Day, ask, “How many more Christmases might I have left?” Take the number seriously. You will relish the time, not stress over it. Treat every experience as if it were the last time you have it.
21. Never lose hope. No matter how bad life treats you now, God provides a way out.
22. When worried, ask, “What one thing can I do about this right now?” Then go do it. You will feel better.
23. Try new things. I tried karate at 45, and as a retired guy, I am in an archery class with pre-teens. Looking foolish looks the same as bravery.

Have a happy new year, and I will see you next year.