As I write this, it’s a couple of days before Thanksgiving (I just got an email from Hein with the subject line “Gobble Greetings” to really timestamp this for anyone else who got that message), and I find it difficult to believe that yet another year is pretty much over. I should stop being so surprised by December showing up seemingly out of nowhere, but I doubt that lesson will have taken hold twelve months from now.
Like many folks, I’m not immune to the reflection bug around the end of the year as I take stock of what’s been going on personally and professionally, trying to focus my energy on my communities and where I can have the most positive impact on the people around me. For now, I’m looking forward to some time off with family and friends before jumping into 2025. I hope you, too, can look forward to some time to relax and recharge.
While my Serious Reflections are occasioned by the end of the calendar year, we’re in the thick of the CALL year! I’m delighted by how much we’ve already accomplished, and I anticipate 2025 knowing much of what’s in the works. While I’ve come to know CALL members as a helpful bunch over the years, one thing that’s struck me during my time on the board is the amount of collaboration between committees and the willingness of the membership to problem-solve and roll with the punches. While I’ll refrain from listing everything we’ve done to date as an organization this year, the spirit of can-do collaboration was on full display at our summit with board members and committee chairs in late October. It was a great opportunity to hear about what everyone’s working on and see how we can help each other out, and I hope it gave our newer committee chairs a sense that they’re not expected to carry out their charges alone.
I’m sure we all get something slightly different from being in CALL, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to suggest that the community CALL provides is a major plus, and I look forward to working with you all next year and beyond. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025!