Void Thoughts

Today is January 14th, and the first half of the month is almost over. Yet, I feel like the new year is only slowly dawning.

Last month, December 2024, was the busiest I’ve ever had. My sister and niece visited us from Dubai, and it was their first time here. Although they stayed for only two and a half weeks, we enjoyed a memorable Christmas holiday. We took them to Northern Arizona, covering Flagstaff, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon, and then ventured to San Diego and Los Angeles in California. Here in Phoenix, we visited the Phoenix Zoo Lights and Fountain Hills. It was undoubtedly one of the busiest holidays we’ve ever had.

My younger one had a wonderful time with his cousin sister, as they are close in age and nature, and we all shared some truly spectacular moments together.

After all that hustle and bustle, they left on New Year’s Eve. When the new year began, I was far from prepared. Normally, I would take time during the holidays to reflect on the year that had passed. But this time, I wasn’t in the mindset to pause or reflect.

Even as the new year started, I didn’t feel the usual urge to dive into my “getting ready for the new year” routines. I was unhurried—and that felt okay.

Right now, I’m slowly finding the rhythm of my days. I’ve made some promises to myself, but I’m not rushing to accomplish them.

One reason for taking it slow is the sudden drop in temperature we’ve been experiencing. You’ll often find me curled up in the corner of my couch, wrapped in layers for warmth.

My brain is taking its sweet time to boot up. It feels like winter has wrapped itself around me, and I’m allowing myself to savor this feeling.

I haven’t even started tracking my New Year’s resolutions yet—and I don’t feel guilty about it. It feels like I’m living fully in this season, embracing it for what it is.

I’ve also been closely following the updates about the wildfires in Los Angeles. The fire started spreading a week after our visit, we were in two of the affected areas. It is scary watching everything burn down, even if it’s just on TV. 

Perhaps that’s another reason I cherish the present moment—when anything can change at any time, it’s better to appreciate the good in life as it comes. 

So, how have you been?