Gratitude and Two Upcoming Programs

A few last words before 2025

Here we are, late afternoon on the last day of 2024. I just glanced out the dining room window and caught the last light of the year illuminating the treetops just beyond our bare little backyard, where yesterday I refilled the bird feeders after spending five days with my mom.

My dad is still in the hospital but in good spirits. He’s been quoting Shakespeare, asking for a better pen for underlining the book he’s reading, watching “Nobody Wants This,” and doing laps around the hospital’s sixth floor – all very reassuring signs that he is on the mend.

Last Friday, I was beside myself because he had spent so many hours waiting in the ER. I’ve been wanting to clarify that the anger I noted reflected frustration and fear and that we are so deeply grateful for the care he has been receiving. If I have learned nothing else from my mother, let it be to give thanks. Being with her in the hospital is a master class in gratitude, as she literally thanks everyone we encounter for their work. So thank you, to every EMT, nurse, custodian, PCA, doctor, and surgeon who brings such dedication, presence, and care to patients and families alike, especially during the holidays.

I decided a week ago, before this happened, to take a social media break till the new year, and the timing couldn’t have been better. As always, stepping away from Facebook and Instagram (my kryptonite apps) is eye-opening. I don’t have it in me to write any kind of retrospective today, but I did want to come here to thank YOU for your presence here over the past year.

I also want to share details about two writing programs starting in January! Don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions about either of these.

Happy 7th night of Hanukkah to all who celebrate, and may 2025 bring many opportunities for us to connect.

Happy New Year and love,

Jena

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The Sound of Real Life Happening 2025

Birthday gift from Aviva in 2023!

Here’s the low-down: I was born on January 14 at 11:11am, and the number 11 has always felt like a magic portal to me.

Several years ago, I created a writing practice that consists of writing lists of 11 things. It has taken on a wonderful life of its own as a form, and it has also become the basis for this annual group. The 2025 cohort begins in just 12 days!

Read more on my website or jump straight to registering. The deadline is January 7.

Here are the most important details:

• This group has FOUR sessions during the year (January, April, June, October).

• Each session lasts 11 days.

• During each 11-day session, we practice writing 11 things per day.

• At the end of each session, we gather on Zoom to deepen our connection.
  This is a year-long commitment.

• It’s wonderfully simple, small, and special.

• There are now THREE spaces left.

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The HerStories January Project Incubator

The wonderful co-founders of the HerStories Project and

Midstory Magazine

, Jessica Smock and Stephanie Sprenger, are hosting a month-long community experience for midlife women embarking on a new writing undertaking.

Learn all about it and register here

This promises to be an energizing way to start the new year, and I’m super honored that they reached out to me to be one of nine workshop presenters!

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Fierce Encouragement: 201 Writing Prompts for Staying Grounded in Fragile Times

The prompts book is coming soon!

Keep an eye out for updates in January for where to purchase and ways to collaborate!

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