New Year

When I was young the new year was an exciting event. The long year had ended and now a new one with new beginnings stretched out ahead of me. As the years pass and one blends into the other the changing of the guard is less noticeable. Less exciting. Less anything. Last night I turned on Dick Clark's new years eve in Times Square and seeing him so ill made me feel sad. I certainly didn't get the feeling of an exciting new year coming up soon. So, we changed the channel and I saw only young faces laughing and smiling and anticipating the new year. It dawned on me then the new years celebrations are for the young. The ones with a lifetime ahead of them. Those who still have dreams and the time to carry them out. Those who don't realize how quickly that life time will pass and soon the years will melt one into the other until you barely notice the changing of the guard. So, we had our egg nog and pork sandwiches (a family tradition) and wished each other a happy new year. While I miss the excitement of bringing in the new year, I once felt, I am accepting of the fact there are more new years behind me than in front. While I hope there will be many more new years for me to bring in I now understand it can be a quiet thoughtful change and doesn't need to have all the bells and whistles and excitement of the ones celebrated in the past.

May the new year bring blessings upon your family, good health to all, enough wealth to keep you comfortable, and enough excitement to make it worth getting out of bed each day.

Happy New Year to all!