A few weeks into the new year, my blood pressure hit a record peak. What the doc in the box called “a bit high,” the medical websites defined as “make sure your affairs are in order, a stroke is coming.”   My regular physician changed my blood pressure medicine and reviewed the other big health numbers in my life. These included my weight, calorie intake, sodium level, and the number of times I ordered a meal through a drive-thru speaker. This year I lowered all those numbers and finally drew up the will I delayed for far too long.

I spent a lot of time in the company of music. Spotify sent me a video at the end of November recapping my 2022 listening habits. With a month left in the year, my listening time was already 19,281 minutes, which is more than 71% of other Spotify users. That's 2,994 songs and 1,789 artists across 52 genres. My top artist was Miles Davis, and I was in the top 5% of his listeners. I don't know what concerned me more. The fact that Spotify collected and shared this information with me and probably every advertiser and partner they have. Or that I had already listened to September by Earth, Wind, and Fire over 30 times by December. 

Archives re-opened this year, which allowed me to kick my research into a higher gear. Through visits to various libraries and collections, I gathered over 13,000 documents related to the life of John Ehrlichman, author, artist, and Richard Nixon’s domestic policy advisor. I was happy to see Douglas Brinkley, in his 2022 book Silent Spring Revolution, give John the credit he deserves as an environmentalist.   

Together, Chris and I put up a big number in 2022 and clocked 35 years of marriage. We also hit big numbers individually when each of us turned 60. We spent a weekend sharing a large number of memories and laughs with Samantha and Jonathan and their spouses, Jake and Ashley, in a Wisconsin lake house they rented for all of us.   

This year I noticed something about the decorations for milestones. There are just two-color combinations for birthdays after 50: black and gold or black and silver. It's as if the gold and silver represent a reward for reaching the age, and the black is a reminder the final curtain is creeping up on you. (Please see the previous will reference.)

The length of our marriage represents a successful partnership based on love and respect. Our varied interests, views, thoughts, and ideas have created a unique balance, even in our appearance. I'm frequently mistaken for a man at least 70 and Chris for a woman barely 50. Which, averaged together, equals our actual age of 60. 

The largest number of the year is one I didn't calculate, but I know is very big. In a year that began with my daughter’s wedding and included moments with friends and family, reading and writing in the company of my dogs, fishing lakes, streams, rivers, and an ocean, and spending time with Chris, it was the number of times I reflected on how blessed I am. 

Here’s to the big numbers of 2022, and looking forward to what 2023 will bring. And hoping the will stays in the safe.