The days are long and the years are short

This photo from a family holiday gathering in 1966, I'm the tiny person in the very back, next to my mom.

Have you heard this saying? I think it exemplifies the last almost two years. Do you consider 2021 a void year? A do-over? I don't. A lot of good occurred. Do you define time as before and after covid? (I have a friend who calls it BC and AC). Now instead of "getting back" to the way things were, I prefer to think of it as "moving ahead".  The things in my life that were discontinued as a result of Covid are things  I no longer need in my life, because during that period, I discovered a new path that better suits my lifestyle, and was able to let go of things that no longer serve me. Do you find that happened to you too?

One constant is that I've always enjoyed cooking. From cooking with my mom, to when I was first married and every recipe contained wine, because I loved the Frugal Gourmet on PBS and cooked every recipe in his "The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine" cookbook, to becoming a professional pastry chef, to, well, everything that I'm doing these days. It's been a journey, and I don't think anyone is too old for self-discovery. Recently one of my pastry heroes, Sylvia Weinstock, passed away. She was a celebrity wedding cake baker, and developed her own unique style of cake decorating. She was in her 50s when she embarked on her cake decorating career. Julia Child, of course, was in her 50s when she began her cooking career. Martha Stewart is 80 years old and still going strong for God's sake! Ina Garden has over 3 million followers on Instagram.

I'm inspired every day by these examples and so many others. And I'm reminded that it's not too late to get out there and make it happen. To whatever extent best works for one's goals and lifestyle. When I'm on social media and I see all of these young mom influencers, chasing toddlers and developing healthy lifestyles for their families, I think about what it takes to raise a family and I can relate to what they're going through. I did all of that!

Are you thinking about goals for 2022? Has anything inspired you to try something new? A new exercise? A new way of eating? A new recipe? A new job or career path? The days may seem long, but the years are definitely short! There's no time like now to do it. Get it started. Watch it grow into something unbelievable. You'll never know unless you try.