Everyone else is doing their year-end “2016 Was The Year That Was…” and/or their “Resolutions for the New Year” shtick this week, so I shall be no exception, I suppose. (I think it’s in the blogger’s bylaws or something).
2016. You started out with such promise, darn you.
You took me down some paths and on a journey I never anticipated taking quite this soon.
And yet, for all the heartache, for all the loss, I shall most likely someday look back on you as a most important year.
I think I’ve lost count of the people who’ve told me in one way or another that I’ve been inspirational to them this year. Most assuredly, I did not set out to be an inspiration. Please know that I chose to share hubby’s battle, our struggle, and, ultimately, my grief in a most public fashion. I’m honored, humbled and constantly amazed at the overwhelming outpouring of support, prayers and love from around the world that I, that we, received.
You know, I started the year fancying myself as a new member of the snarky political blogging set. But events conspired to suck the snark right out of me. In the waning days of the year, I find I can no longer sustain the anger, give voice to the outrage, continue the acrimony, maintain the knots in my knickers over all things politic.
When you’ve gone through hell and back with a loved one only to lose him forever, things that once got your adrenaline pumping suddenly lose their import. Hugs and love to those of you who are fortunate enough that the current state of affairs is your most pressing concern. Once you’ve truly seen “the end of the world”, hysterical pretenders to the throne are just that.
What I can give voice to, what I can focus on are the truly common threads between each and every one of us.
The first post on my FaceBook feed this morning was an anguished prayer from a friend crying out to God and beseeching Him for a few more days with his critically ill son. As I continued to scroll, the second post I stopped on was from a beloved friend relating how she had shared coffee with some neighborhood construction workers on a cold wintery day.
I tweeted this morning “I think at our core we all want peace. We love our families, our friends & we want them to be well and safe. We just disagree on the ‘how’.” To me that is more true now than ever. So, gentle readers, at the end of this most tumultuous year, my resolutions are:
To take more breaths.
To distance myself from toxic people and situations.
To appreciate those who have contributed to my life, who have freely given me so much love, so much comfort and yes, even joy even more.
To search as diligently as I can for those common bonds between all of us – and to celebrate each one.
To cherish even more deeply each and every one of you.
I wish you peace.
I wish you love.
Here’s hoping (yet again) for a Happy New Year.
Peace and love to you, Judi.