2025 Reflections: Honing My Creativity

A Letter from Denise

As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year that surprised, challenged, and expanded me in ways I didn’t expect. It began with a surprise: on my way to Tampa to visit my daughter in January, I volunteered to fly the next day and walked away with 2500 United dollars. That simple decision sparked one of the most meaningful years I have had in a long time.

Like last year, I kept my news intake low to protect my mental health as I navigated personal life transitions. What did change was how I coped. I leaned into creativity, vulnerability, and expression in ways I never had before. I listened to a lot of music, saw a lot of theater, built new friendships, and began learning the craft of storytelling. It has become one of the most unexpectedly rewarding parts of my year.

Travel Highlights

Europe Adventures

My United jackpot got put to very good use. I spent the first two days of my trip visiting my friend Sara in Zurich before heading to the Amalfi Coast. Traveling alone through Amalfi was pure magic. I soaked up the breathtaking coastline from both the mountains and the water, ate lemon ice straight from a carved-out lemon, enjoyed pasta with lemon pesto in a lemon grove in the hills, and savored homemade pasta at my agriturismo. I even met up with my friends Jodi and Tom in Pompeii, who happened to be traveling at the same time.

The second half of my trip was spent with my daughter, Jenna, in the Puglia region. Together we stayed in a trulli home in Alberobello (a true fairy-tale town), wandered Monopoli’s ancient maze-like streets, and finished in Bari. We soaked up the charm of small towns like Cisternino, Ostuni, Locorotondo, and Polignano a Mare. We tasted incredible Puglian wines and olive oils and enjoyed everything from mashed fava beans and crispy rice-and-potato dishes with mollusks to handmade gluten-free orecchiette pasta with green turnip pesto, pastries, and pizza.  And I spent my birthday eating birthday cake for breakfast in Monopoli!!  I’ve never been anywhere special for my birthday – I highly recommend it!

Most importantly, Jenna and I had long, relaxed conversations with lots of laughter, and neither of us dissolved into tears. It was one of the smoothest, most joyful trips I have ever taken, made extra special by spending quality time with my daughter.

U.S. Getaways

This year also brought some wonderful domestic travel:

• A visit to family in Tampa and Palm Beach Gardens, where I shopped, rested, walked, learned canasta, and embraced the peaceful pace, despite not having a single day of sunshine
• A girls’ trip with Mara and Jenny to Amy’s home in Boynton Beach enjoying as much nature as possible
• A refreshing weekend with my PT girlfriends at our friend’s Indiana lake house, where we kayaked, lounged on their pontoon, learned to play bags, walked, ate, and enjoyed wine slushies
• A reflective solo weekend in Memphis, where I saw Sutton Foster in concert (yes, I am obsessed), wandered the beautiful Memphis Botanic Garden, and visited the Civil Rights Museum, which reminded me of both our country’s painful history and its resilience.

   

My Kids

Jenna continued exploring Europe after leaving me in Puglia, heading to Sicily, Paris, and the south of France. She is blossoming in her business and investment ventures and is a founding member of a highly sought-after Tampa networking group.  I’m so grateful that Jenna has been in a happy, healthy relationship for the past year with Dylan, a wonderful young man who contributes all the good that has happened to him this past year to Jenna.  Dylan even entertained us at Thanksgiving with his amazing sleight of hand card tricks that he has been performing since he was 8 years old.

Drew and Victoria celebrated their first anniversary by traveling through Wales, London, and Scotland. Drew took second in his age group at the Chicago Sprint Triathlon (must be his new tri bike), and Victoria continued her goal of running a marathon in every state, completing Louisville, Denver, and NYC this year. She is also working at PAWS in Lincoln Park, combining her love for animals with her career. 

I am incredibly proud of them.

Personal Growth and Creativity

This year, creativity became my refuge.

• I began a storytelling class in January and found a new passion I did not expect, so much so that I have continued taking classes all year and attended some open mics throughout Chicago telling my stories.
• I took an improv class
• I made a new group of women friends in my storytelling class and we meet weekly to support each other’s stories
• I honored my Uncle Kenny during the Special Kids Foundation grant presentation night as I completed my tenure as president

I saw a lot of theater this year, which felt perfectly aligned with my new storytelling journey

Theater I loved in 2025:

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Catch Me If You Can, Kimberley Akimbo, As You Like It, Rachmaninoff, Hell’s Kitchen, A Beautiful Noise, Six

I became obsessed with the show Younger. And yes… my love for Tony award-winning Sutton Foster grew. I saw her twice this year — at Ravinia and again in Memphis.

Music I loved: Maggie Rogers, Sutton Foster, Benson Boone, Alex Warren, Noah Kahan.

Creativity became a refuge, an outlet, and a source of connection.

Work Highlights

This was a meaningful year at The Manual Touch.

• I welcomed Dr. Shital Kothari, DPT, to the team. Shital is an experienced PT, a yoga instructor, and someone with the same joyful, positive spirit I see in my son Drew. I know you will love her.
• I continued presenting webinars at the North Suburban YMCA
• I gave my annual running lecture at Oakton Community College

I am deeply grateful for the trust you place in me and in our practice.

A Final Reflection

Reflecting on 2025 fills me with gratitude — for my family, for my friends (old and new), for the storytelling community that has embraced me, and especially for my remarkable mother, whose unwavering love continues to anchor me.

Thank you for being part of my world, and for letting me be part of your healing journey.

Wishing you a year filled with delight, creativity, joy, peace, and strong health.

With love and appreciation,
Denise