When looking at the calendar, something interesting that stood out to me was the lesser-known dates and celebrations.

For example, did you know that December 13th is National Cocoa Day or that December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day? Or maybe you know that after Thanksgiving comes Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but what about Giving Tuesday? Also, here’s a fun fact: Thanksgiving falls on November 26th, which also happens to be National Cake Day and the National Day of Mourning. So you could “eat your cake” and cry too without judgment (talk about cheap therapy)! The point is, we tend to overlook the smaller celebrations because we are so focused on the big ones. Why not look for ways to appreciate the everyday moments? Children are great at getting us to put the responsibilities on pause—just for a moment—and join their “just because” parties. Maybe it’s the practice of being grateful for the smaller things that help us weather the bigger and harder things. Just maybe.

Although 2020 has had many unique markers, just like every year, we start with the vision and end with perspective.