December always arrives with a certain kind of magic — a blend of celebration, reflection, and quiet anticipation for what lies ahead. This year, however, December asked for something different. It became a month that gently and abruptly reminded us of how fragile, precious, and unpredictable life can be.
Early this month I organized our year end (what I call) Mini-High school Reunion supper. What fun I try to do every 2 – 3 months out of the year … It’s a LOVELY way to gather and reconnect with our youth and high school buddies.
We where ‘freshly back’ from a yearly Incentive Conference in Athens, Greece. What another LOVELY LOVELY part of the world – and the HISTORY it tells WOWOWOWOWOWOW.
BOOM BOOM life exploded…
Mid-month, my father was hospitalized due to a fluid accumulation in his lung, which then spread to his leg and foot. The swelling was so severe that walking became extremely difficult for him. As a result, Christmas with the Caputo clan was cancelled until further notice a small decision on the surface, but one that carried a heavy emotional weight on the entire family.
Just days later, our world shifted again. My mother-in-law suffered a massive, massive stroke, and we almost lost her. Her entire left side is now paralyzed. The shock the double shock, really on both sides of the family was overwhelming and deeply humbling.
Both are currently hospitalized and slowly recovering, and for that we are incredibly grateful. Still, the road ahead is long for each of them. Moments like these have a way of pulling you sharply back into reality, reminding you how quickly life can change in an instant. I’ve always known this, having experienced sudden life shifts before, but when it happens again, it hits differently. It forces you to pause, reflect, and quietly revisit your own sense of mortality.
Professionally, December was a time of wrapping up projects, closing chapters, and setting intentions for the year ahead. And while some of that still happened, it unfolded alongside hospital visits, uncertainty, and a deep recalibration of priorities. It was a reminder that no matter how carefully we plan, life will always have its own agenda.
On a personal level, this December stripped things back to what truly matters like family, presence, compassion, and gratitude for small signs of progress. It wasn’t the festive ending we imagined, but it was one filled with perspective, humility, and love.
So that was December for me and for my husband. Some might call it a difficult way to end a year and a challenging way to begin a new one. And maybe it is. But it was also a reminder of resilience, of showing up, and of taking things one day at a time.
As we step into the new year, we do so with cautious hope, deeper gratitude, and a renewed understanding that life is precious, fragile, and worth holding gently.
Here’s to moving forward with intention, compassion, and faith in the new year ahead.
