A New Year (part 1)
Well so far this year has kicked off with some major congestion, several rounds of medicine, and a lovely lingering sense of fatigue. Great start, huh? Unpleasant as that has been, I’ve had some real time to think.
Typically in January I like to spend time reviewing the old year and planning for the next.
I gave up on making official resolutions because my resolve to keep to them rarely made it past January 31st (or January 7th if I’m being totally honest). Instead I like to think of these new ideas as intentions. For whatever reason, framing them this way gives me the psychological wiggle room I need to adjust, amend, or even sometimes start over.
So now I find myself at the beginning of 2020, sorting through the past, present, and future.
Our first Board of Regents meeting is on February 7th – coming up fast. This is an important one for a number of reasons. Not only will our new University of Nebraska President Ted Carter be officially present and participating, but we will also be electing new board leadership and receiving our committee assignments for the year. I truly do not know what is in store, but I’m excited about it.
Hang in there with me because this blog is going to be a two-parter. And since our experience of time is that it flows just one way, let’s go ahead and start with the past.
Last year, I was absolutely honored and overwhelmed to be sworn in as Regent at the state capital.
It was a solemn, moving moment that I was proud to be able to share with my husband and children. I wished my parents could have seen it. Carmen Maurer – Corporate Secretary for the Regent Board – captured some wonderful pictures that I could look at later to prove to myself that it wasn’t all a dream. But it was a dream, is a dream, a wonderful dream that so many of you made come true. For that I am eternally grateful.
And inevitably, as with any dream, reality hits.
Check back in part II for more reflections and – importantly – intentions for 2020.
*Barbara’s thoughts as written by Kate based on weekly (fascinating) conversations.
My resolution is to finally throw away all my teacher “stuff” that I thought I just might use someday—It’s been 7 years since my retirement! It’s got to go!