Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,
When the calendar turned to 2024 a few weeks ago, it got me thinking, inevitably, about New Year’s resolutions. It’s easy to fall into the trap of setting big, outlandish goals that often have very little to do with what we actually want out of life. We then snap back to reality a few weeks into January to find that six-day-a-week workout plan probably should have been closer to three, or that an all-veggie diet isn’t sustainable right now. So in recent years, I’ve tried to approach my resolutions with some more reflection on the things that are truly important to me and set my goals around those things.
One year, a while back, I made a resolution to reach out to people I’d lost touch with. One of those people was a man who had managed and then eventually bought the RedOwl grocery store in Pierre, South Dakota, just across the river from my hometown. For some reason, he had always gone out of his way to say hello to me after I had the opportunity to be a student speaker at Rotary. His manner was encouraging and I always looked forward to running into him. I reached him at home and thanked him for his kindness. Well, just a few weeks ago, I learned of his passing and I was always glad I made that call.
This year, I’ve decided to bring back that resolution and make an effort to reach out to someone each month. I’ll share the stories of these personal outreaches throughout the year, so wish me luck! Hopefully you, too, will be inspired to take on a similarly meaningful resolution this year, whether you’re reaching out to an old friend, committing to regular family dinners, swapping your phone for a good book, or finding time to enjoy the quiet. Don't hesitate to share some of your stories with me.
All the best,
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