I hope each and every one of you is beginning 2013 in fine form. (Generally, those of us in the second half know – too often from miserable experience – that going a little nuts on New Year’s Eve just isn’t worth the fall out the next day. Did your wisdom prevail?)
It is my sincere wish that are having a wonderful day, celebrating however you desire, whether that’s with family and friends or curled up on the couch with a warm fire and a good book! For I see New Year’s as the opportunity to celebrate however I might choose. We are all different and we all have different traditions and needs.
Having just spent Christmas with my husband of the 35 years, our three precious children and two of their equally precious partners, we re looking at quiet, relaxed day. (Hmmm .. I wonder how each of them is feeling after New Year’s Eve? Probably not too bad since they are now old enough to know better than to pickle their brains in the name of celebrating.)
I plan on that fire and book scenario. Perhaps, weather permitting, we’ll walk the mutt. It will be a day of simple pleasures and optimism for the coming year.
I never weigh myself down with pointless resolutions, but I always take time to reflect on different things I’d like to make happen in 2013. I look forward to being happily busy following the publication of my novel, Duck Pond Epiphany, in March. May promises to be a busy month, as our oldest will be getting married to a fine fellow on June 1. And, naturally, come the warmer months, we always have boating on the horizon. I am so very grateful 2013 looks like a year full of possibilities and connection.
But while I hold positive thoughts for 2013, I can’t move through this day without thinking about how this holiday season has been marred by loss and tragedy. Many families are trying to struggle through each and every minute with broken hearts that will never properly mend. I simply cannot imagine what that must be like.
My hope for 2013 is that we, as a nation, will finally put the highest priority on the safety and well being of our loved ones, our children, our friends, our neighbors, and all of our fellow citizens whom we will never even know. Going to school, catching a movie, shopping at the mall should not be a life or death experience.
We are an intelligent culture, a remarkable mass of problem solving humanity. Surely, if we can travel to Mars we can arrive at reasonable solutions to reducing the incidents of senseless violence that plague our nation. Yes, it is a very complex issue that involves many different areas of our society, but I believe we can alter this destructive course our country has been traveling.
May we all take this coming year to join together and create a safer society.The time for this is long overdue.
Wishing each and every one of you a satisfying and safe 2013.