Be present and focus on what matters most instead

This Christmas season I hope you will be with people you care about, doing things you enjoy, and taking time out to celebrate what matters most.

Why dwell on what didn't get done, what could have been, or what's missing? Whether you're alone, with a few people, or a brood of family or friends, stop time and notice what's right in front of you, who is around you, and why you're part of it.

Cherish relationships that give you strength and take in the earth's beauty and the creativity that we are surrounded by every day. Even the snow that sometimes impedes our travel has incredible beauty if we're open to seeing it.

As this year comes to a close, my family and I wish you many joyful moments to capture, if not in photos, in your heart and mind.

And express gratitude. It is powerful.

Celebrating long-lasting friendships

It is a place to enjoy the best martini after a long drive, where the food is amazing, where the camaraderie fits as well as your favorite pair of shoes that you can slip into anytime and walk for an eternity. It's an annual event that takes place on a lake in Ontario, Canada, the second weekend in July, the setting lovely and inspirational, and the people incredible.

I'm talking about Girl's Fishing Weekend. I'm talking about friendships that have stood the test of time. Thirty-three years of fishing weekends to be exact.

My college girlfriends and I have made it okay to share triumphs, joys, challenges, sadness, and our vulnerabilities. It's a time and a safe place to reflect on the year that has passed, milestones during the decades we've known one another, and what the future holds. It's where we discuss the latest trends in architecture, art, travel, relationships, style - or lack of it, food, and wine, health, and maybe the lighter side of politics. Turn up the music, throw in a goofy game or two and laughter ensues.

And, for those of you curious to know the type of fishing gear we use, or the bait that's best for the kind of fish in the lake... news flash: we don't fish. Why waste time? We named the weekend because we wanted to give it validity for the other important people in our lives.

Girl's Fishing Weekend is our way of celebrating and preserving what matters most - our friendship.

I hope we all have or strive to pursue these kinds of friendships in our lives, and that we take the time to celebrate them. They are worth their weight in gold.

Bye now... I'm goin' fishin'.