Here We Go Again

 

Photo Credit (not AI): muralinath

Here We Go Again: Welcome 2026 

Seems impossible it’s been 365 days since we said goodbye to one year and hello to another year, yet here we are welcoming 2026 with big open arms and a bit of pleading with the Universe to be a bit more gentle this year. 

2025 had big highs and big lows. It was the Year of the Snake and a "Nine" year. It was never meant to be gentle; it was meant to be filled with growth and shedding skins that no longer fit. 

But we never start with the bad news, we always start with the celebrations, so… 

My family and furry dudes rock – we celebrated birthdays, gotcha days, good news, small wins, and each other. I knocked out another year of grad school and wrote a ton (even snagged an award, kinda). One semester (sixteen weeks and a thesis) between me and an MFA in Writing. What am I working on for my thesis? That is yet to be determined, but I am working on a new twistedly true Frankenstein-esque tale, set in Chicago in 1937, so we’ll see where that all leads. This year also gave way to some serious gal time. Not only did we take an incredible beachy vacation, but we spent quality time together supporting, laughing, living, and growing long past our return (and secretly, I’m hoping we get another vacay planned soon).  

The year also brought growth, adjustments, and unease. At the top of that list is saying goodbye to my Dad. Grief is a helluva runaway train, and we all navigate in our own way (you can absolutely expect more stories about grief, life, death, and keeping our loved ones no longer here with us alive in our hearts, as I find my way through the chasm that is the loss of Dad’s presence, light, and support – he was my biggest cheerleader). I think my new normal is keeping one foot moving in front of the other while enduring crippling moments of grief intermittently thrown in, but I’m dealing in my own way, and I know he would want me to persevere, so on we go. 

And there is a bit (huge amount) of hope that, as the Year of the Snake comes to an end, we will embark on something altogether different. Fingers crossed. 

So where will 2026 lead? That’s a fair and loaded question. Soon we head into the Year of the Horse, and if all goes well, we’re galloping away from any residual 2025 shit lingering and into the greatness that is a new year and new cycle. 

Only time will tell for that big-picture stuff. But it’s the small stuff that I can control where I intend to hone my focus, staying in my lane and working on my own things, with purpose and intention: writing, yoga, and creating a life I don’t need a vacation from. 

But don’t hold your breath (this could take time); instead, tune in every week to see how it’s all progressing. 

Speaking of which, new blog posts will go live Sunday evenings at 11:11 p.m., with shares on socials the following week. I intend to stick to the same theme and schedule each month (again, time with tell…haha). 

(Planned) Monthly Blog Schedule

1st Sunday: Welcome/new month/housekeeping and updates post

2nd Sunday: A Creative Nonfiction Story

3rd Sunday: A Book Showcase

4th Sunday: Recent(ish) Reads

5th Sunday: TBD (March, May, July, August, and November)

Sure do hope you’ll tune in next week for a personal essay entitled, “The Algebra Lesson” (it’s a favorite of mine).  

Until next time, find your creative, embrace your wild side, stay sane(ish), and happy reading in 2026!

Best, Aspen Hite