2023 ‘It’s Been A Year’
How to describe 2023? More than any year in recent memory 2023 was a HUGE emotional rollercoaster for me. The crazy thing is I didn’t realize just how much until very recently. In the early part of December, a beautiful and uber talented recording artist, Ashley Cooke, played our company Christmas party. I had heard “It’s Been a Year” before, but there was something about seeing it in person that REALLY hit hard. I’m one of these people who embraces the daily grind of life. Watching and really listening to Ashley perform this song, tears began to roll down my face. It occurred all that had happened, and I’d pushed so much to the back burner in favor of tackling the next day. So, before I go any further, I think it’s important FOR YOU to take a couple of minutes and experience this song for yourself.
And I ain’t sayin’ it ain’t been a good one
It’s been a “did a lot more than I thought I could” one
It’s been 365 of record lows and record highs
Loving and losing, fun and confusing, praying and shifting gears
For the minute you got, it’s probably a lot, more than you wanna hear
So all I’ll say is, it’s been a year
Those six lines (especially the third one). They continue to resonate over and over in my mind. And I’m willing to bet, if you really think about it, they will in yours as well. Slowing down for the holidays has fortunately (or unfortunately, maybe) forced me to finally deal with 2023’s darkest moments.
RECORD LOWS
This is my sister’s husband Peyton Smith. The last time I was around him for any significant period of time was when this picture was taken. For Christmas of 2020 we went home to Texas and the entire family gathered at my sister’s place in Austin. Peyton was totally in his element. He was the ultimate host-always. His energy was boundless, and its sole focus was seeing to it that every second of your life he was responsible for was perfect. Peyton took his life in September. He left no note. There was no indication that anything “was wrong.” He was a huge part of my family for three and a half decades. Losing him will haunt us all forever. Make no mistake, there’s a real mental health crisis in this country.
The loss of Peyton came on top of the loss of this man. His name was Tom Balliet, and he was like a second father to me. I wrote about his passing back in the summer. I still think of him nearly every day. There’s so much of who I am as an adult that was shaped by being around this man.
Several years ago, Bruce Springsteen lost his dear friend, on-stage foil, and saxophonist, Clarence Clemons. To steal from “The Boss,” these two people were elemental in my life, and losing them has been like losing the rain.
See ya in the next life.
RECORD HIGHS
Okay, hard part over. Now to celebrate the opposite end of the emotional spectrum in 2023. Not once but twice this year, I was able to reconnect with friends I hadn’t seen in person in almost 30 years. Spending time with Michelle Dentinger Sims and Captain Bill MacDonald reminded me of how truly special lifelong friends are. I’m not a big resolution guy, but one thing I’m going to effort to do in the new year is to reach out (in person) and reconnect with others in my life. I used to be a good friend. I want to be one again.
I don’t think much about all my wife and I have been able to accomplish professionally. Again, I embrace the grind. So, I don’t allow myself to look back. We’re in the radio business. We’re only as good as our last show and always want tomorrow’s to be better than today’s. However, this picture was taken of us onstage at November’s “Stage of Stars” show at Coyote Joe’s. The caption I added says it all for me. This February will mark 30 years of marriage and 29 years of working together on-air. I can’t wait to see a photo of us on stage at this event next year.
This is luckily my “record high” every year. Come February 5th, it will be 30 years of “fun and confusing, loving and losing, praying and shifting gears.” It’s been a year. And together, we’ll face…no EMBRACE this next one to come.
