A New Year's Message from Melissa
Dearest Community,
By now, you’ve likely seen the usual New Year messages — invitations to reset, set goals, make resolutions, reinvent ourselves...
And while I love a fresh start as much as anyone, today I'm inviting you to hit pause on the resolutions, and take a moment for reflection — not on what needs to change, but on everything you're already doing right.
The care you give. The patience you've found. The quiet strength you've offered. The traditions you've carried. The meals you've prepared for others — all the simple, beautiful ways you already show up for the people you love (and for yourself, too).
There’s so much talk about what to do better next year. But today, I hope you’ll thank yourself for the woman you've already become.
I’m so grateful to be walking alongside this community of strong, thoughtful women. You remind me—over and over again—that showing up with heart matters.
And, I'd love it if you would share with me in the comments below, some of the things — great and small — that you've done beautifully in this past year.
Here’s to carrying that into whatever comes next.
With love,
Melissa
P.S. Click below to find all the recipes from our New Year's Eve grazing table, and be sure to watch our very special year-in-review video!
59 comments
I’m so thankful for life. I am thankful for my garden in the spring and summer. I have tried to help others in the community start gardening. Given plants and seeds to anyone who wants them. My garden is my friend who listens to me laugh and cry and pray. I’m thankful for the joy I get out of modern prairie and you Melissa. As you know, many of us grew up being with you weekly and watching you grow up with us. And you and many of the cast of little house, are so real and so personable and enjoyable to listen to and see. You and your zoom and interactions and the pod casts by other cast members. The reunion events. It’s brought so much joy to so many of us in this world with so much stress and division. So thank you and may you have a very blessed and wonderful new year. From Wisconsin with Love.
Thank you, Melissa for your encouraging words and for this community. Thank you and Nicole also for giving us the platform to share and help each other through good and bad times and to be heard and find our voices.
I look forward to seeing what the new year brings for Modern Prairie.
I was honored to become a trusted Prairian this year and co lead a new circle with Sherry Keller, our caregiving group. We have met so many wonderful ladies in the circle and shared in our journeys of caregiving and grown as caregivers. I am so thankful for this platform and all our Modern Prairie members. As we go into the 2026 I look forward to growing and learning and just being a part of this community and all it stands for.
I’m an spending more time with my sweet little fur baby honeydew and relaxing painting 🎨🎨🎨
Thank you for the beautiful message you shared. It was something that brought tears to my eyes…guess I really needed to hear those words.
I have been working through a 12 step program to support family members of loved ones dealing with addiction, it has given me a very different perspective on addiction and those struggling with it, it is healing places in me that needed it for a long time and healing my relationship with the one with the addiction. I’m working through Bible study material with a dear childhood friend. I’m counting my blessings!!