The End of a Year

A lot of people are happy to see this past year left in the past. It's been a trying year in a lot of ways, but the purpose of this blog is not to look at the bad, but to focus on the good. We end this year healthy, not just in body but in mind. We have jobs, we have a solid roof over our heads, we have daily food. In that, I'm sounding like my father and I appreciate that now.

We also have a couple of children who bring us much joy and satisfaction, and but for the grace of God, would very well be elsewhere. But they grace our house. Yes, it's trying at times, coordinating schedules, breaking up disagreements, but what would it be like if we didn't have them? What would it be like if we didn't have a little boy who loves life? A boy who is happy to look for and try to catch bugs and lizards and then turns around and hops on a bike or skateboard to try some new trick. A healthy boy. What would it be like if we didn't have a beautiful girl? A girl who is doing all that she can to maintain grades and sports in order to gain a scholarship someplace. A girl who is realizing the inner beauty she has and is starting let it be seen. What would we do without these two? I don't want to imagine.

I have a wife who truly and deeply loves me and accepts me as I am, with all the junk I have around me. A wife who dedicates herself to our family and works hard to keep it all going smoothly. A wife who has shown me the beauty that the holidays are, not just the meaning but the visual.

I have friends and family who are genuinely happy when I call to talk, even if those times are few and far between. Friends and family who also love and accept me for who I am. Friends who consider me a brother and not just a friend.

Yes,  a passing year...taken as individual moments, there have been some bad times. Taken collectively, I can't complain.  Happy New Years.