A Quick Review of 2009

Two thousand nine was a very good year. Here are a few reasons why.

This retirement thing is nice. In my former life, I had many responsibilities that are no longer part of my world. In 2009, I didn’t get up early, teach long division, attend faculty meetings, supervise recess, grade papers, or worry about those children who were left farther behind daily (even though I did everything in my power to teach them).

Instead of following lesson plans, I traveled. I toured plantations in Louisiana,

enjoyed cool mountain air in Colorado,

visited precious relatives in California,

watched the ducks march through the lobby of the Peabody Motel in Memphis,

wandered through museums in Chicago,

and stayed in some beautiful Bed and Breakfast places.

I spent a lot of time with people I love during 2009. I made new friends and deepened old friendships.

I ate considerably less sugar than in previous years, and I lost nearly forty pounds. I gained some energy and flexibility.


I read 65 books and baked a lot of bread. I spent most Sunday mornings in worship and most Tuesday mornings in Bible Study. These things all fed my spirit.

I wrote a bunch of words, and I arranged some of them in an order that might even be publishable. I finished writing a book. No, it hasn’t been sold yet, but it’s finished—at least until an agent or editor asks for revisions. I went to writing conferences and spent a week at a writing residency program. I spent hours and hours talking to other writers, and I helped newer writers learn some skills. I wrote seventy blog posts. I collected rejection slips from editors and agents, but I also received compliments on my writing from people whose opinions matter to me.

During the coming year, I want to write, read, and play more. I want to talk less and listen more, whine less and encourage more, worry less and laugh more, doubt less and believe more.

I’m hoping that 2010 will be a very good year.