Grief & healing: New beginnings as we head into 2024

It’s New Year’s Day, and there is still time for 2024 resolutions. We have the whole day.

It’s the day of new beginnings. A promising time.

I’ve always been a fan of New Year’s resolutions. And I’m also a fan of reflections.

Reflections are related but different. They involve thinking through last year instead of just making resolutions for the new year. Thinking it through and making a list of noteworthy events or issues is always worthwhile.

Why would we want to reflect? Because we will get ideas that can help us in this new year.

I learned it is important to do this from my beloved Baheej, who died in 2012. We can learn a lot about ourselves and better understand how to move ahead to the future. It’s best to write down what these reflections reveal to yourself.

So what did I learn from 2023 to help me in 2024?

• Go where you are invited. This keeps you connected to friends and out in social life and participating in the community.

• Even if at home alone, always cook or order a nice meal for each holiday. And decorate, even for the minor holidays. It helps the spirit.

• Slow down adding to my “to do” list so it’s of manageable and realistic proportions.

• Realize that even negative happenings or health problems can become useful if we learn something from them — something that can be avoided or changed in the new year.

• I’m still thinking and reflecting — lots of hours left in the day.

In the meantime, I have a nice New Year’s ham ready to put in the oven for a midday dinner. Scalloped potatoes and creamed spinach. A green salad. Baklava for dessert. It’s just for me, but my kitties would love some tidbits of ham. And I need the hambone to make some split pea soup for an upcoming event. I can freeze the bone and leftovers.

It was a super mild fall and December. We shall see what January brings.

So the point is: A new year is always a chance to make a new beginning.

Happy New Year and onward in 2024!

• Susan Anderson-Khleif of Sleepy Hollow has a doctorate in family sociology from Harvard, taught at Wellesley College and is a retired Motorola executive. Contact her at sakhleif@aol.com.