Parts of 2021 were a hot mess — but there were still a whole lot of moments that I did treasure. Moments spent with family, with watching kids grow and become more independent, and creating new friendships that blossomed into incredible relationships with some amazing people and then having a lot of fun adventures with those people. Those are the moments I want to remember from 2021. Those are the moments that mattered. Everything else is noise. And don’t get me wrong, the noise is worth fighting against — but at the end of the day the real things are those moments and experiences with our favorite people because that is what life really is about!

One thing that I would like 2022 to bring is a bit of a more simplified life. About a week ago I saw a sunrise for the first time in years, and that morning I thought to myself that I’d like to see more of those. I’d like to spend more time on the porch drinking coffee with my wife. I’d like to spend more time in the woods. More time floating the creek. Just more time in nature altogether. The newfound love of woodworking that I developed in 2020 has helped me get away from technology a good bit, but I’d love to expand even more on that this coming year. Technology is a useful thing, but too much of anything can be a bad thing. And of course, more time with friends and family making even more memories with them!

So anyway, here’s hoping 2022 is a great year for us all. I wish only good things for everyone, and I hope you find everything you’re looking for in your life this next year. Happy New Year!

My 2021 Spotify Playlist

These are songs that were either released this year or that I discovered this year and meant something to me. It’s basically my “soundtrack” for the year.