“So, you’re not thinking about the holidays?” I observed, Lauren staring into space.

“How did you know?” she replied.

“You were looking further out.”

“Yes, I was just thinking this has been a tough year, and I am thinking next year will be better. The holidays are nice, with family and friends, but it’s also the time of year where I relax and let my imagination run a little bit. I get to spend time, especially after Christmas, thinking about the new year. If I wrote it down, it would be called planning.”

“You don’t write down your thoughts?”

Lauren smiled. “Yes, I actually do, but that’s not the part I am thinking about today.”