Make Way for 2026

I'm not sure how I feel about 2025...

Dear 2025,

I have so many conflicting thoughts about you. There has been so much love and so much loss. I don’t know how to balance the two together. I’m reminded deeply of a poem by Rumi my dear friend Alice (bonjour sweet Alice!) shared with me. I’d like to start this year’s letter with that poem.

The Guest House
by Jalaluddin Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
They may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

One of my favorite photos of Richmond in 2025 taken by my friend Sean who spends way more time in nature than me. I’m trying to be more like Sean this year! Watch him in nature here: https://www.youtube.com/@SeanGrimm99.

I have experienced a cacophony of conflicting emotions this year - intermingling with one another, knocking on the door concurrently, needing to be welcomed in on the same day. The best I can do is try to summarize some of those coexisting emotions and hope my guest house can contain them all.

Immense Hopelessness paired with Overwhelming Awe and Gratitude - My ability to hold onto hope was challenged in the face of the unrelenting cruelty and violence enacted at a federal level. Federal agents ripping families apart, literally, often in front of young children. Dehumanizing as many as possible with the goal to break people. However, I remain truly amazed and inspired by the community members I’ve met this year who want to support families in any way they can - through legal guidance, financial help, and emotional support. I am so grateful to have met so many caring people in my community.

Anger and Despair paired with Appreciation and Excitement of New Connections - The lack of compassion from so many people and the eagerness with which people want to watch others fall (sometimes directly pushing them down) has been disheartening to say the least. Ego and hate seem to be qualities we uplift in leaders these days, and many are quick to follow suit. However, for all those hurtful, evil comments and news articles I see online, I’m met daily with kindness from friends and strangers alike in my community. I am grateful for the moments of a shared smile on the bus, the blossoming of a new friendship, and the warmth of a hug from someone I love.

Hard Goodbyes paired with Fond Memories - This year, my family said goodbye to our beloved dog Stella, who had been with us for the past 13 years, Her death was bittersweet, as I never wanted to say goodbye, but her declining health was clearly taking its toll. I took comfort in watching her eat a last meal of a bacon cheeseburger and cup of whipped cream. Stella taught me a lot about patience and tenacity - she’s the only pet I’ve had whose love I had to earn, and I felt very honored to have been loved by her for so many years. And, I felt so lucky to spend the holidays surrounded by my family, reminiscing on all our wonderful years with our sweet girl.

Sweet Stella <3

Deep Grief paired with Deep Love - Just days before the end of the year, an unexpected and senseless loss shook my city. I am still processing the loss of a beloved and multifaceted mentor, whose life was tragically ended while he was crossing his favorite street in Richmond. This is a death that I will be processing for a while - I don’t have many gathered thoughts about it yet - aside from the fact that I cannot believe the outpouring of support and love my city has shown for him, his legacy, and all of us who worked alongside him. Strangers, acquaintances, friends, and family have been reaching out, and checking in.

Overall, 2025 has been a year of unmeasurable loss, brutality, and hatred. The people of Palestine continue to be denied necessary aid, leading to suffering that is unimaginable for those of us who know where our next sip of water or bite of food will come from. Families throughout the United States are being torn apart - with people missing for days, later appearing in facilities states away (or sometimes countries away) with horrific conditions and no ability to give their spouse or children a hug goodbye. Transgender folks being further vilified and attacked by the government all for wanting the basic human right to be themselves. All of these injustices go on, while the actual criminals, sex offenders, and assailants continue to manipulate and further divide our communities.

With all of this ongoing, 2025 has also been a year of recovery, love, and growth in my own life. My OCD has turned into something manageable, and I’m no longer losing hours of my day to relentless intrusive thoughts. I’m leaving my apartment regularly, and I’ve had experiences that would have seemed impossible a year ago. I (re)met a wonderful person who allows me to be my truest self, and my love and respect for them and our relationship continues to grow. I also connected with people who are working to make my community a safer, better place for everyone. And I’m working in a job that only a few years ago felt unreachable.

me and my hunny celebrating a rare December snow day with a lovely walk!

Although you may not realize it from my lack of posts, I’ve also kept up with my writing this year - taking more classes, meeting amazing writers who are also wonderful people, and even submitting to a couple of literary magazines (check back in in 6-12 months).

While I can only hope that 2026 will trend positively, I’m not naive to the realities of the cruelty of the world. I am, however, also not naive to the unrelenting working being done to resist this cruelty, and as such, I remain hopeful.

Each year, instead of a resolution, I try to pick a word to guide the year ahead (thanks Leah). My word for 2026 is Analog, which sounds much nicer than my original idea of “neo-luddite” (thanks Lily). What’s your word?

Happy New Year from Lil Miss Jiji <3

As Always, With Love,

From Cece.

Saw some cows up close in 2025 which is always a good thing in my world

Keep reading below for a round up of some favorites from 2025!

Best Reads (in the order I read them):

1. The Art Thief - Michael Finkel

2. Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, reread

3. The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin

4. The Midwich Cuckoos - John Wyndham (favorite of the year)

5. The Housemaid - Frida McFadden

6. Dracula - Bram Stoker, reread

Songs I enjoyed this year (in no particular order)

1. Man of the Year- Lorde

2. Train - Sylvan Esso

3. On & On - Manatree

4. Metal - The Beths

5. Forever is a Feeling - Lucy Dacus

6. WHERE IS MY HUSBAND - Raye

7. First it was a movie, then it was a book - Florry (fave artist)

8. The Loneliest Time - Carly Rae Jepsen

9. Lover Girl - Laufey

10. Past in Present - Feist