🏁 Axios Finish Line: Best of '22

A year of reader wisdom to savor | Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Amazon   Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·Dec 21, 2022 Dec 21, 2022 🎄 Welcome back for the final newsletter of the year! Smart Brevity™ count: 624 words ... 2½ mins.     1 big thing: The best moments, stats and quotes of '22 Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios   Year 1 of Finish Line brought bright moments and fascinating conversations. As we close out 2022, let's take a tour of the highlights. Why it matters: This is the wisdom that poured in from Finish Line readers this year. 🖼️ Zoom out: This engagement is next level in our 16 years of pumping out newsletters. Thank you for your witty replies, thought-provoking questions and heartfelt notes. 💡 Here's some wisdom — shared by you — to savor as we reflect on the year. From mom: "My mother always insisted the back and neck were her favorite parts of the chicken. She always wanted others to have the best, whether it was chicken or anything else." —Linda H., Moncks Corner, South Carolina From dad: "Gazing in the mirror at my 6-year-old, bucktoothed, gangly self in a new Brownie's uniform, I heard my father say, 'You look like a million dollars,' changing my self-image forever." —Marilyn R., Boulder, Colorado From a neighbor: "We live in a homeowners association, which was developed in 1986. ... Some folks came in early and are getting quite old. I am 84. My neighbor doesn't get around easily, so I put his trash out for him once a week. After the pickup, while putting his container back, I usually see two or three neighbors up and down the block doing the same for their neighbors." —Fred R., Tucson, Arizona From a stranger: "The first time I was traveling alone with my daughter — who was 11 months old at the time — a stranger on a plane offered to hold her after we landed so I was able to gather our things and have a moment to breathe. It meant the most to a young mom with her hands full." —Abby D., Des Moines, Iowa 🧮 By the numbers: A few standout stats defined Finish Line this year — and made us all feel a little better about the world. 75% of people in the U.S. never tweet. 72% of Americans help strangers and 42% of us volunteer. 59% of Americans say they picked up a new hobby during the pandemic. Oh, and we learned that, according to research, democracy and truth-telling are both good for our health. We'll leave you with one reader's reflection on a random act of kindness — an ongoing Finish Line series to which thousands of you have contributed. "Some 30 years ago, I was working on recovery from a horrible depression. It was harder than anything I've ever done. One morning, it took everything I had to make a grocery run. As I dragged myself toward the store, a man looked at me and smiled, saying, 'Good morning.' I felt so much weight lifted off me. I could, for the first time in months, see a way out of my sadness." —Sherri W., McKinney, Texas 🎆 Happy New Year, and see you in 2023!     A message from Amazon "I was able to go to college without stressing about the cost"     Julio always planned to go to college but couldn't afford a four-year degree. Amazon's Career Choice program helped him become the first college graduate in his family. Here's how: Amazon offers pre-paid tuition for nearly 1 million hourly employees and delivery partners. Read Julio's story.     🕯️ A holiday tradition "My mom made the most delicious, golden brown potato latkes, and my two sisters and I would have a latke-eating contest to see who could eat the most during the eight days of Hanukkah," writes Finish Line's stellar copy editor Amy Stern. "One year, in support of the contest, my mom made eight different kinds of latkes: zucchini, potato and zucchini, potato and apple, sweet potato, mashed potato, creamed corn (my sisters' favorite) and cottage cheese (surprisingly tasty) — each accompanied every night by the traditional potato latke in all its crunchy goodness." "My mom's latkes are one of the few things I cook — and I've fried them up for friends from D.C. to Ontario. Like her, I never use a recipe."   Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: