2021 was a busy year, after the quiet quarantine days of 2020.

I certified as a yoga teacher–and as an open water scuba diver. I took my kids to Florida and swam with dolphins. I went to Mexico and swam in cenotes. I re-connected with old friends and made new ones. And I let some people go. I golfed. I bathed in sunsets. I learned to cook the perfect steak. I read. I watched my girls grow and try new things. I bought a camper and learned to back it up. I took the beasties on camping adventures, teaching them to become campers even as I learned myself. I hiked and built bonfires. I finished cancer treatments and got my first haircut–and several more. I went skydiving with my mom. I tried new restaurants. I made mistakes, and I learned from them. I spoke my truth, even when I was afraid to. I learned to meditate. I paid off some debts and invested in myself. I said goodbye to a beloved pet and welcomed another. I paid more attention to the moon and the stars–and to my own inner monologue. I worked on changing it. I learned that I’m enough on my own. I dabbled in tarot.

I don’t tell fortunes. I use tarot the way I use inspirational quotes on Instagram–as a mirror, held up to examine what I’ve been ignoring or just never thought to consider. The symbolism and the stories appeal to me–the way the cards can hold different meanings on different days, depending upon what I’ve brought to them.

Today, the last day of the year, I drew The Fool. It’s number zero in the deck, the very beginning. The Fool represents an adventure about to begin, a person who knows there will be challenges ahead, but out of naiveté or self-confidence, isn’t worried about them. The Fool is open-minded and curious, eager to see what’s in store, willing to figure things out along the way. So now I’m wondering: Did I embody The Fool in 2021? Or is that what 2022 holds for me?

And from within, a whisper: “Both.”

Happy New Year, everyone. May it be our best yet.