What Was the Most Unexpected Lesson You Learned This Past Year?

Happy New Year! I am excited to begin this new year with all of you. This month’s question was selected with reflection and growth in mind: What did we learn, and how will it shape us in the new year? As our colleagues’ responses show, the unexpected lessons learned this past year offered valuable insights and blessings, and many are committed to carrying those perspectives forward as they step into 2026.

In this column, adopted from the familiar “Heard on the Street” format, we offer our responders a chance to answer the question posed in the title. These are their replies, reported verbatim. Enjoy!

Self-Care & Listening to Your Intuition

This year I learned that the old idea of ‘objects in motion stay in motion’ really applies to everyday life. After work I used to sit down for a quick break before tackling dinner, chores or homework, and that little break always made it harder to get going again. I realized that if I just keep moving long enough to finish the basics, everything feels easier and my downtime feels so much better. It turns out it is not about doing more; it is about making my rest actually count.

Staci Rammel
Woodruff Energy
Bridgeton, New Jersey

This year, I unexpectedly learned that prioritizing myself makes everything else work better. As a mom of five and a CEO, I’ve often felt pulled in impossible directions, and taking care of myself has been an afterthought — at best. I’ve learned that I don’t have to sacrifice one role to honor another; I can show up meaningfully in both when I follow my heart. Even more surprising is how much easier I can navigate to my true north when I prioritize my own sleep, hydration, movement and personal time. The shift was small, but transformative; it strengthened every part of my life. It turns out, the more I take care of myself, the more capacity I have to love and to lead.

Lauren Clark
Bergquist Inc.
Toledo, Ohio

A good friend of mine was being checked for prostate cancer. His regular doctor referred him to a urologist after an abnormal PSA test. He recommended a biopsy to see what could be causing the PSA number to rise. My friend was reluctant to have the biopsy. He was scared and did not want to find out it was cancer. The biopsy came back negative. This was good — however, he felt something wasn’t right. After doing some research on his own, he asked the doctor if he could do an MRI. He had history of prostate cancer in his family. He then had the MRI and the results found a small growth in the front of his prostate. After further testing, it was cancer. Luckily, it is a very slow growing cancer, and he is having some mild treatments. His prognosis is excellent! The lesson is that if you have a gut feeling something is not right, do not wait to find out. Advocate for your health and listen to your body! In life we all need to take responsibility for our health and happiness. It is not always easy, but it is a choice to be happy and a good person.

Ed Varney
Topline Management
McKinney, Texas

Little Moments, Big Impact

One of the most unexpected lessons I learned this past year is the power of small interactions. It turns out that even simple gestures, like sending a quick, ‘Hey there, hope you’re doing well!’ message can have a significant impact. I’ve discovered that it doesn’t always have to be a grand gesture; small, sincere interactions carry a lot of importance and can mean just as much.

Abby Thurston
Rural Computer Consultants
Bird Island, Minnesota

Planning Today for the Future of Propane

Although not necessarily a lesson, I recently learned that Google engineer and futurist, Ray Kurzweil, wrote in his essay ‘The Law of Accelerating Returns’ that the next 100 years will bring more technological progress than the past 20,000 years. Imagine if Ray is partially correct. Imagine if the next 100 years brings more technological innovation than just the past 1,000 years. Or the past 500 years. What will the next 10 years bring? It really made me consider the future of the propane industry specifically. What will it look like? Will consumers use more renewable propane gallons than conventional propane 10 years from now? Will new technology make propane delivery even more efficient? Will total odorized-propane consumption in the U.S. increase or decrease? By how much? How will we market propane to consumers? What potential new markets are there for propane? All of us must be thinking of answers to these questions now. We cannot leave them to chance or fate. We must adapt and try to shape our future as much as humanly possible.

Don Montroy
Bergquist Inc.
Rockford, Michigan

Grace in the Face of Gossip

I have been a member of a country club for about 10 years now. Recently, I was the topic of gossip around the club. It was horrible. I felt betrayed by women who I considered friends. Having people look at me in a way that said, ‘they know,’ but without asking if I was OK. I have had to learn the hard way who is a trusted friend, who is a gossip and how to navigate all this gracefully and with newfound boundaries. One friend teased that it will all pass when the next juicy piece of news hits the gossip circuit. Unfortunately, the damage and learning experience will forever change my heart and the trustworthiness I experience with my neighbors.

Julie Johnson
Ted Johnson Propane
Baldwin Park, California

No matter how you prepare for the upcoming season, it will never go as predicted; then, you learn from it.

Richard Strycharz Jr.
Walter’s Propane
Sunderland, Massachusetts

The Grandparent Surprise

In August, my wife and I were blessed with our first grandchild from our daughter and her husband. We were fortunate to be there when Bennett was born. My wife has been back since visiting Tacoma [Washington]. They came east to visit for Thanksgiving and spent quite a bit of time at our house. I was not prepared for the impact that little boy would have on me. I really bonded with him like I have not done in a long time. In fact, I think it was different than the bond I had with my own kids. Many grandparents out there already know this phenomenon, and some of my friends have in fact agreed with my experience. Being a grandparent really does create an exciting next chapter — just never thought this exciting.

Tom Krupa
NGL Supply Terminals Co.
Richmond, Virginia

Here’s to the Next Chapter & the Unexpected Lessons Learned This Past Year

Whether it’s a lesson learned or a blessing gained, personal growth matters and it often comes at a cost. Trust your intuition. Make space for self-care. Stay focused on who you are becoming and who you aspire to be. Be kind to one another and extend compassion freely; we rarely know the battles others are quietly fighting.

With growth, fresh lessons and the wisdom you choose to carry forward from this year, your perspective a year from now may look entirely different — and beautifully so.

“Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change.” — Jim Rohn