Who doesn’t love a celebration? But make no mistake – a celebration is most rewarding after plenty of hard work and determination; and the tougher the task at hand, the sweeter the success. Now, as we toast to our upcoming 10th anniversary, the GLF team and I look back with a lot to celebrate. We have gone out on a limb in every aspect of our lives but, like Mark Twain famously said, “Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where the fruit is?” I can say with conviction that I have never worked (professionally speaking) as hard on anything as I have on Good Life Family and GoodLifeFamilyMag.com. I have invested my heart, mind and resources into making GLF a PUBLICATION WITH A PURPOSE. We have grown, we have gained momentum, and we are making a difference.
In my personal life, my husband and I recently celebrated 27 years of marriage. David would surely tell you that it has been pure bliss (that’s one of the reasons I love the guy!), but he and I both know it’s a lot of work to be partners in life. Marriage is like a roller coaster, full of twists and turns, highs and lows; but at the end of the ride, you have all the memories that no other two people in the world have shared. That’s some priceless bubbly… let’s keep aging to perfection!
As a mom, there is no greater celebration than the health and happiness of my adult children, Bryce, 25, our new daughter-in-law Daria, who we recently welcomed into the flock, Jaxie, 24 and Lindsey, 22. Each of them have “flown the nest” and are thriving in their own journeys. Although I indeed traded time with them to embark on the GLF journey (balancing family and work is a non-stop challenge for most of us, and a consistent topic in our pages), the upside of that trade is that my kids are witnessing first-hand the passion that goes into creating something worthy of celebration. In fact, they always found ways to pitch in to help or cheer me on. I am grateful for their support and sacrifice and for giving me the best job title in the universe: mom.
As a daughter, I am reminded that being part of the “Sandwich Generation” – those of us sandwiched between raising our kids and navigating our own aging parents – is both challenging and rewarding work and that each day needs to be celebrated.
Finally, no celebration is complete without my amazing friends. We celebrate the peaks (boy, do we!), but more importantly, we are alongside each other in the valleys. Deep friendships are built brick by brick and fortified by the test of time.
I’ll toast to all that!
Wishing you a new year filled to the brim with health, happiness, love, peace, and plenty of “Cheers”!
Sheryl Lilly Pidgeon
Publisher| Editor-in-Chief
GoodLifeFamilyMag.com