The Start of Something New

It's the end of another year.  The older I get, the quicker time passes.  Like many others, I am looking back at the past year and looking forward to the next.  I appreciate all the friends I have made through this blog who have shared the year with me, both the good days and the bad.

As for everyone, there were days of sadness and difficulty and worry for me this year.  It was very difficult for me to come to terms with my mother's failing health and to have to make the decision to have her placed in a nursing home.  I still struggle with the sadness, frustration, and feelings of guilt that I have because she must live there.  It is not an ideal solution, but it seems to be the best that I can do.

I also continue to feel sadness for my coworker, whose twelve year old daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor this year.  Although two surgeries reduced the size of the tumor, there is no getting around the fact that much of the tumor still remains.  She continues to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments regularly.  At last report, the tumor has not shrunk any more, but it also has not grown bigger.  Remaining stable is, I suppose, better than having it grow, but still it is not the result that was hoped for.  I can't imagine what my coworker and her daughter and the rest of their family have gone through and are continuing to go through.  I can't imagine and don't want to think about how I would feel if it were one of my sons who was experiencing this.

A much less important worry than the two just listed, but a worry just the same was when our library lost funding from the state.  This resulted in many of my coworkers losing their jobs.  I am grateful that my job was spared, but I regret that some of my coworkers did not get the same good news that I received.

This year held many joys and blessings for me too.  I can't even begin to number or list all of them here.  I have blogged here frequently about my sons.  I appreciate all of you indulging my mother's pride in them and being willing to listen to me over and over again sharing with you the happiness that they give me.  I feel extremely lucky to have them.  I am so grateful that they are blessed with good health, integrity, responsibility, intelligence, and good senses of humor.

 

My love of nature has often appeared here on this blog too.
  
Sunsets,

clouds,

flowers,

and leaves

have appeared here regularly.  

I have shared with you my view of the world whether it was looking through my "prison bar" icicles,

peering out from under my spring tree umbrella of flowers,

looking out my front door at my morning glories,

 

or overlooking the river of yellow leaves

 a sunrise,

or the new fallen snow in my front yard.

I have blogged about bugs, bunnies, and buzzards.  I have introduced you to people I have met at my job at the library, at the nursing home where my mother lives, and to members of my family.  I have shared photos and stories of places and events in my hometown.  I have shared the things that make me feel grateful.  I have tried to show you how important my faith and my church are to me.  I have written a few poems for you and shared some music with you. I have written about our dog, Max, and our lizard, Charley.

Thanks so much to all of you for allowing me to share these things with you.  I enjoy knowing you all and am grateful for the comments you leave here for me.

Tomorrow is the start of something new, a clean slate waiting for us to fill---in whatever way we choose.  This certainly seems like a good reason to celebrate to me.  Let's get the new year started on the right foot...or the left foot, whatever works best for you when you're dancing! =D  

Thanks to all of you for dancing with me this past year.  I hope you will come back and dance with me some more in the days to come of the new year.

It's time for the "Start Of Something New."

Happy New Year, everyone!