FROM THE TOS PRESIDENT
Deborah Bronk

Hello TOS members!

As the year comes to a close, I encourage us all to take advantage of what holiday breaks we may receive to pause and reflect and ask ourselves…

What do I want to do in 2024?

There is something magical about taking a break in late December. Many universities shut down for a period of time. Many businesses for at least a few days. It is an ideal time to shut off our computer, shut off our phone, and shut off our mind and just breathe.

It can be a time to reflect—to read back over your journal to see how far you have come. To skim through your calendar and remember the good times and accomplishments one more time. To make New Year’s resolutions, which is something I take very seriously.

There is tremendous power in just stopping for a while in as many ways as you can manage. It can allow you to start the new year more rejuvenated, better rested, and poised to think new thoughts. For those doing research, few things are more important. Like art, science is a creative process that cannot be forced, but done well creates something that did not exist before—new knowledge. If you are an educator, you will be better able to be positive and inspiring if you have taken the time to rest and be inspired yourself.

As we approach the winter equinox, I hope we will all tune out the bad news for a few days, light a candle, and sit quietly to savor a moment of quiet and ponder what a privilege it is to spend our lives doing such important work.

I’m here to serve, so please reach out to me at [email protected] if you have any concerns or ideas of how TOS can better serve its members and the work they do.