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Save the Date Jan. 15, 2026, 1 pm Front of the Ballroom (the Stonecreek Room) By Mary McKernan, Resident Our Solera Diamond Valley resident author, Gerald Berns, will be the guest of a Roundtable discussion hosted by the combined interests of the Book Group and the Library Volunteers. His book is ank You, Mr. Emerson. Goodreads critique writes, "A man, a woman, a butterfly, and a Native American casino limo driver. ank You, Mr. Emerson is a modern novel, part battle of the sexes, part Emersonian philosophy, part spiritual mystery, part nature trail." We have two of his books in our library and the book can be found on Amazon books. SDV cannot accommodate sales out of our Lodge. I hope you will read the book and come meet the author, Gerald Berns. SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | DECEMBER 2025 7 By Irene Reyes, Resident It's a new year - 2026! With that comes the tradition of making a resolution. Many people set resolutions, but studies show a substantial number do not keep them. Common reasons include setting unrealistic goals, lack of tracking, or forgetting about the resolution. Forty to 50 percent of adults in the U.S. set New Year's resolutions; however, only eight to 12 percent successfully keep them, with most failures happening within the first month. The most popular resolutions people make are: • Exercise more • Eat healthier • Lose weight • Read more books • Spend less time on social media As I reflect on this information, I cannot help but wish we could resolve, decide, and intend, to just be kinder, more caring, and more personal on a daily basis. As we all strive to become computer savvy and learn how to navigate the Internet (especially our age group) we have lost so much of the personal touch: the smile, the eye contact, and the thanking of people around us. Customer service has been shamefully compromised and seems to be a thing of the past. Trying to get a real person on the phone when attempting to resolve an issue on a business matter is often an impossible task. As I gave thoughtful consideration to a resolution that made sense for me, and one I would not abandon after a month, I could not help but think of everyday life and how I connect with people regularly. How can I resolve to treat others better and with more kindness? How can I create more accountability for myself? What if my daily conversation was somehow recorded and played back like those black boxes on aircrafts that are used for aviation accident investigations? As I experience life along with the camaraderie of my fellow seniors, I also experience the good-byes, the farewells and the heartbreak of numerous memorial services honoring dear friends and neighbors. I also wonder, of course, about my own mortality. It's an unavoidable reality. But a solution came to mind. What if we all had a little black box that recorded the last few months, weeks, or days of our lives to play back at our own memorial service, instead of the usual slideshow presentation, which I honestly love? What would it REALLY say about us? What would it say about how we truly lived? What would it say about how we applied that wisdom and how we treated others? Therefore, I resolve, for the year 2026, to treat others with more care, concern, and kindness. I resolve to apply the wisdom of a lifetime to the time I have left in a positive way. The light on my black box is on and it's recording! What about yours? "I Resolve … " Meet the Author

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