A new year, a new focus

Tomorrow begins another year. As I shared in my previous post, oftentimes things don’t always go as planned. For 2025 I have selected the word “Value” thanks to a suggestion from my Turkish teacher. As I published the previous post I thought to myself, “hmmm, I guess it is time to think about a new word.” A day or two later my teacher offered up “Value” and I haven’t been able to think of any other word since. This is not a word I would have found or discovered on my own. But it was a direct shot.

Unlike previous years I am NOT going to set any intentions for what I think the word “Value” will offer or provide. I will wait and see what is revealed.

But I will pause and share definitions for “value” from Oxford Languages Dictionary (via Google):

Noun

1. 1. 1. the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
      2. principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgement of what is important in life.

Verb

1. 1. 1. estimate the monetary worth of.
      2. consider (someone or something) to be important or beneficial; have a high opinion of.

While I have been choosing a word (focus) for the coming year since 2012, apparently a number of organizations report a word of the year for the year that is finishing. I can say I was entertained/saddened to learn that The Economist selected the word Kakistocracy for 2024. I fear they are onto something there. We shall have to see how the coming four years unfold in my birth nation.

On this side of the planet I will kick off the new year with friends while I await the arrival of my father and his wife for their first visit to Türkiye. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share with them my life and community here in Izmir. After which we will journey, via Betsy, to Dalyan where Fawn will join us, and then all together on to Pamukkale. After a couple of nights in a Thermal Hotel and seeing the sites in Pamukkale, we will return to Izmir for a few days and nights.

Time is perhaps our greatest (most valuable?) commodity and I am excited that some of my family is coming to spend time with me and see the community and life I have built over the past six and a half years.

If you have chosen a word for 2025, please take a moment and share with us here in the comments.

Happy New Year, Friends!