Roy’s Sunday Letter for December 31, 2023
A troubled but determined 2023 has moved aside for the fresh eyes, heart, and blank pages of 2024.
What projects, tasks, and responsibilities of 2023 have you decided to continue into 2024? Are there projects, tasks, and responsibilities you have decided, for whatever reasons, you will leave behind, not continue?
At a time today, or other day of this first week 2024, consider who are the people who have been important to you in 2023? If you have not found a way for them to know of their vital contribution to you, this is the right week to do so.
There may have been personal, family, work, or civic disappointments in 2023. Are there “life lessons” from these disappointments that will help you in achieving your plans, dreams, or hopes for 2024?
Beth and I returned to Fort Worth in 2020, now 3+ years ago. The faces, events, and opportunities of 2023 have prepared us for the challenges, surprises, and the blend of old and new in 2024. We are curious to know who we will meet, share food and stories, as we together find ways of making a contribution, making a difference through our dedicated interest in peace and justice, climate and environment, and inclusion of all peoples and cultures in a healthy, sustaining, and hopeful world.
Roy and Beth
Life is a series of connections, family, co-workers, friends and casual acquaintances, so grateful to have reconnected to you and Beth.
you fly back wednesday with same flight crew
making relationship when and where you can….good for you.
the experiences of 2023 throw us into the hallways and faces of 2024.
and, we do so together…….Roy
Good morning Roy and thanks much for your hard work and wonderful words all year long. Every year brings its own set of troubles and triumphs….there are always silver linings, sometimes a bit harder to locate. We must continue putting our best foot forward. SL plays an important role, offering me perspective and wisdom to name a just a few benefits.. keep on writing Roy…. Happy New Year to all..
you are gracious and kind in word and thought
the main contribution you make is consistently showing up, sharing experiences, thoughts.
all of these make me better
could not have it any other way
I did talk to better on saturday….i will keep the calls going in 2024.
tami was there….i did ask about her health.
we keep at it do we not?
Roy
I find 2024 a year of hope, otherwise I will be consumed by fear. Many are frightened at the direction our counrty is taking. But hope is yielding to God’s will, and it’s the only thing we have left.
As for projects, things on my to do list, I make the same resolve that I always do on Dec. 31: Do what’s in front of you! Maybe I’ll remember it for a change!
Friend David..I have added a new one to 2024. complete “a small thing” each week or couple of days (organize a drawer), email to one person I missing in 2023.
Fear is present when you have a deranged 3 y old bellowing hate each morning on my home page.
what is my hope???? the swinging of harmony and balance of life never stops moving back and forth, finding a new center, even if the new center is avoiding a negative.
you are a wise man, along with wise sheila and prince. hope to see/learning together on Thursday.
Roy
There’s to the wonder of a new year
a new pages or pages
we just watched The Holdovers…..recommend, good script, characters
you be good to be around….Roy
HOPE and LOVE. My two words of affirmation for 2024. Happy New Year Roy and Beth. From my home to yours.
X/O
Linda M, Gilly, Topaz, Violet, Zumi, Cool and Guccianna, the cat.
HOPE and LOVE. My two words of affirmation for 2024. Happy New Year Roy and Beth. From my home to yours.
X/O
Linda M, Gilly, Topaz, Violet, Zumi, Cool and Guccianna, the cat.
a reply back to all on the read list above. so many words to select from
love and hope well selected
not as often used, i like: allow being present appreciating encouraging curious
and words selected just for you: staying power
Roy
Building a peaceable community is on my mind. Harry and I are co chairing the Pot Luck events at the Retreat for the next 3 months. We are moving them to Saturday so our working residents can come. Everyone will have nametags which really helps newcomers. We will have themes: January MLK, Jr. Soul Food, Feb: Valentines, etc. We have a committee of 12 who have made excellent suggestions for traffic flow and adding to the festivities. I’m continuing to direct our Retreat Choir. Next concert in March titled “Love is in the Air” singing songs from the 1930’s to the present. Audience sings along. People need music, meals together, and time to just chat. Very excited for 2024
you both have prepared an inclusive resident plan.
healthy planning produces healthy people
and, by the way, not easy to do and accomplish.
glad for you, glad for all….Roy
Thank you, Roy. We are in Virginia and won’t be home until Friday, so we will miss MBS. The same goes for 2 weeks in February, where we will be touring the land ‘”Down Under.” I’ll keep reading your Sunday Letters during those times.
We are connected in the modern world of knowing each other.
Travel easy. Emjoy it all. Prince misses you both…Roy
Love and Peace for you and Beth in 2024 and we hope to be with you again this year. Blessings, Owen
There are indeed heroes and perhaps even angels in my life
You 2 are indeed both
We 4 are connected with you and Beth as lead
Support in all way in 2024…..Roy