Reflecting Forward

Clare, friend Barbie, Ben and Jacques join me under the glittery tree at the Ritz Carlton @ LALive.

We finished 2014 by racing to the end of the year much as it began – filled with travel and friends, family and films. All good things, of course, but as a New Year dawns, it occurs to me that, for the first time in nearly 30 years, we have failed to send out our annual reflective/projective letter and family photo.  And I’m going to be OK with that.

We all know that annual family letters are tricky. There are those that tend to magnify the accomplishments of children and spouses. My kids complain that I under-report – not enough bragging.

Some relay a monthly listicle of highlights that are moderately interesting. By the end of any year, I’ve ripped out our monthly calendars and could only rebuild my memory by checking our credit card statements – something I swore off in the 1990s.

But there are very few letters that hold the cherished place of “much anticipated” – the kind that are ripped open for their humorous take on the passage of time or the ability to truly provide a lively portrait of distant, yet dear friends.

Therefore, much as our ancient ancestors did by taking a sabbatical or rest from work in order to regenerate, learn new skills, or allow the land to rest – this will be our sabbatical year from an annual letter.

It’s not that there isn’t exciting news to share. Ben is working his dream – in the writer’s room for the second season of the TNT show “Murder In the First; and Clare is polishing her foodie wings in the main office of Nancy Silverton’s Mozza empire in LA (yes, she can help you get a table if you’re ever in the area). And – yes, I finished the book I set out to write, and am outlining the next. Publication is a whole different story…

But I digress. Rather than a reflective annual letter, mailed by our US Postal Service complete with stamps and envelopes, I’ll blog into 2015 by projecting forward.

Here’s what I see for the New Year – we miss our friends and sense of home in Minneapolis, so we are planning a more active presence in the Twin Cities next year. We love the close geography of being near our kids – so we are planning to retain our presence in Los Angeles as well. Both Jacques and I enjoy the work we do, and will continue to pursue making a meaningful impact wherever we are.

We’ve become very aware that this adventure of life – this one-way ticket of a journey – is something to be shared with those we love. So we’ll hold on to those who are dear and work hard to stay connected to the places and things that matter. And you? What do you see for 2015?