Only a couple of days left in this year. Most of the time I write myself a few New Year’s Resolutions. They always say the same thing, eat less, diet more, exercise, write every day, take time to meditate, write to friends more often, and every year I ignore them all.

So, I’m heavier, eating more than I should, not doing exercise, writing when I feel like writing, and keeping in touch with friends most of the time.

This year will be different. I promise myself that I will do exactly what I want to do, when ever I can and that I will be more productive by not beating myself up about some of the things I don’t get done. I’m just me. I always tell my husband that. He smiles and says, “You are the best, inside and out.”

While I love getting compliments, I worry about some of my friends. Many are going through rough patches. I would love to Adopt A Caregiver every day, but there are only so many hours in a day. I promise my friends I will do everything in my power to make Adopt A Caregiver known, so that others will say, “I want to Adopt A Caregiver.”

To my friends who are going through depression, and I have been there too, I say, try to limit it. In other words, give it a time frame. Say I’ll only let myself be depressed for three days. I used to do that, and most of the time it worked, sometimes it didn’t, but I did not get upset. I knew that I did the best I could under the circumstances.

May I suggest that you try journaling? It literally saved my life. I mean that.  My secret journal that became a book this year. Behind The Mask is my guts, my thoughts and my emotions, and I laid it all out there for the world to see.

One grandson said, “I haven’t cried this much since I was fifteen, and I’m only on page 17. My daughter said, it’s a bi disconcerting to read about your parents sex life in print. And another grandson said the whole story was amazing. Another grandson said, Pop Pop wasn’t that young in 1993, guess we kids have good sex genes.” And my amazing granddaughter did the cover of the book eve while she was crying.

Remember, you have to stand in someone’s shoes before you know what they are going through.

Three things I am grateful for today. My granddaughter made an unexpected visit from California. My husband said he’s going to support me all through my Adopt A Caregiver journey, and I know I am dedicated to my cause. I promise to do all I can do for Adopt A Caregiver to become nation wide, and people will listen, and they will Adopt A Caregiver.

Give the gift that lasts forever, and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them you friend Helene sent you.

Love and kisses Helene