My Dad loved cooking big breakfasts. Whether it’s memories as a kid having sleepovers and waking up to a pile of pancakes and bacon for my buddies and me to devour or fast forwarding to recent years of holidays spent at my parents’ place with my kids getting to enjoy the tradition, big breakfasts were his specialty.

One of the best parts of this tradition is I’ve grown to feel that bond through food with my family as well. Charcuterie boards for breakfast have become our new favorite thing. Our family loves to experiment with new ideas to load up the board with fun breakfast foods for us all to indulge in. I have a feeling I have my Dad to thank for this.

In 2023, we had to say a final goodbye to Dad. We unfortunately also had to say goodbyes to Grandpa, our dog of 15 years, and our good friends’ 8-year-old. While I try to hold onto as much of my optimistic mindset as I can, 2023 was a year I was quickly ready to put in the rearview mirror.

As quick as I was to say goodbye to 2023, I find myself in the first week of 2024 realizing I don’t necessarily want to put it completely in my rearview mirror. I’ve struggled with the finality of death and through this I’ve realized there doesn’t have to be a finality. When I look through the windshield ahead, I want to take so many of the incredible pieces of the ones I lost with me to carry their persona forward. The big breakfasts, perseverance, humility, sense of humor, and so much more of my Dad for example – I want to carry it forward in my own authentic way.

One of the best pieces of advice I received in 2023 was to keep the memories alive with those that you lost. Refuse to let their legacy fade away by continuing to talk about all the great recollections of who they were and the impact they had on you.

2023 in my mind may have been the year of goodbyes but 2024 can be the start of keeping these memories alive. While life will continue to pave valleys on each of our roads ahead, remember that the peaks don’t quite feel the same without feeling the pain of the valley. There’s still so much to take from that valley to carry forward. Whatever that valley is, whatever the pain is, raise the chin up, stick the chest out, and strap to your shoulders the memories you want to carry up from that valley as you look ahead to the peak ahead of you. For me, I’m lucky to say I’ve got a lot of great memories to carry onward.