Dear 2022,

First off, I think your number is pretty cool, for some reason sounding much more futuristic than 2021. I feel like I am living in the time of the Jetsons and should be donning my jet-pack as I commute to work on another nearby planet…. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining; after all, we do have phones that allow us to actually see the person we are speaking to in real-time, so at least that one came true. Now, how about that robot that is a maid– could we get one of those?

As you know, there is already a rolling of the eyes with the continual presence of our ever-mutating Covid plague, so people are calling you 2020-too. Sorry about that; I know you want to be your own year and not to be compared to others before you. No one wants to be compared to their older siblings, but alas, it is what you will have to quickly get used to, we call it “human nature”.

Speaking of humans and complaining, I need to warn you that we do complain– a lot. I don’t just mean about the weather, but just about everything. Even the Jews lament at the date their holidays come out on in your year. Jackie Mason explained it best: “Do you notice the Jewish holidays are never on time, they are either ‘early’ or ‘late’?” No one ever says, “Passover, it’s on time this year!” So get ready for a year of just that. (BTW, Passover begins April 15th in your year– as close to “on time” as it has ever been, but that won’t stop us from remarking one way or the other)

Listen, we have been through a lot. But apparently, it hasn’t been all bad. According to the recent Pew Report on Covid and America, there has been a significant rise in people’s spirituality and appreciation of family and community. This is good news. But I know what you are thinking. If you let up, then we will go back to “the way it was .”Omicron seems to be everywhere, but if vaxxed is much less lethal, so it looks like your year is letting up a little. I know you are concerned we will slip. Please, you do your part, and we will try and do ours. We really don’t want any more “timeouts”. But if we need them, we will try and use them to get back on track again.

Remember that we do not know what’s in store in your year, and I am sure you would love to let us in so we can prepare and not be surprised, but why should your year be like any other? We need to put on our big boy and big girl pants and rise to whatever you have in store. That’s not always easy for us, so please be patient when certain days, weeks, or even months are more challenging for us than others.

If possible, please be a little gentle; people are really on edge. It’s not your fault. We don’t always see things in perspective. A rainy day that is necessary to create abundance can make us gloomy. Go figure! So too, a challenge in our life can sometimes set us back instead of inspiring us to rise.

We will work on that.

Perhaps if we both try, together we can make your year the best we ever had because it is. After all, it doesn’t get better than this until 2023.

Love, Lori

P.S., Of course, I’ll send you my requests for things I want this year, please only answer the ones that will be good for me. Thanks, you’re the best.