Issue #118   December 2022

Christmas flashbacks to ‘life is short’ musings

Dear <<First Name>>:

 
In December 2016, Facebook reminders prompted my first of four (so far) “life is short” editions of Wordnerdery. Specifically, it started with a photo of my black Lab, Jake, staring at my son’s Christmas stocking.
 
It didn’t matter that Jake had his own stocking. Matt’s had a padded Ninja Turtle face, and no doubt looked a lot like a dog stuffie. Jake clearly longed to get his jaws on it.
 
Had I known December 2013 was going to be his last Christmas, I might have given him that stocking. It was a “life is short” kind of feeling, and I wrote about that.

Read the full story in Let go of the stocking to live in the moment.

Quite a few readers commented on it. So in December 2018, I didn’t hesitate to write when I had another “life is short” memory leading up to Christmas.
 
The spark was the lead-up to the holidays, always a busy time both at home and at work. But somehow when my best friend moved to Vancouver, I managed an annual visit two weeks before Christmas. It became a treasured tradition that lasted a dozen years.
 
If you didn't see my recent blog post, read what made these visits so precious in Life is short: A Christmas reminder.

Every year, another holiday tradition is making several batches of shortbread cookies to give to family and friends. Forget dieting this time of year. Everything in moderation, right? 
 
My December 2019 issue featured my mother’s bare-bones recipe, which includes little more than a few ingredients, the oven temperature and timing. I revealed the details you need to know for cookie success. Top takeaway: use the entire pound of butter, not a miserly one-quarter of it, and make sure you soften it first.   
 
Learn the secrets to shortbread success in Life is short; eat the shortbread.

In December 2021, a post on social media by Canadian Forces in the U.S. touched my heart. Reminding us “It’s been a tough few years,” it called for us to take steps to “Shine a light,” like “Hold a door. Leave a kind note. Tweet kindness.”  
 
That prompted me to come up with my own ideas, from “Be patient” to “Think before you speak: Is what you’re going to say true?”. Read all 54 in Be kind and shine a light.

I hope these flashbacks remind you of the value in living in the moment, and wish you much joy in the moments to come in 2023. Thank you for being one of my Wordnerdery readers in 2022.