"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called "Opportunity" and its first chapter is New Year's Day."- Edith Lovejoy Pierce
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First one awake, and the house very quiet on this very first day of the new year. It is still damp outside from yesterday's torrential downpour, but there is no fog this morning and all is calm (not even a dog barking or car on the street to break the silence)
The firstborn and his Ann spent their first New Years Eve together in the comfort of our home (I am so glad about that) and rang in the change of the year together. The young one, with his newly acquired independence, traveled to an event at his Sara's church and spent a bit of time there before heading on home. I had spent the bulk of the day yesterday in technology endeavors, and although not physically taxing, I was mentally fatigued, so is spent the evening at home, listening to the fireworks from the "First Light" celebration in our town about 9:30 and the fireworks set off throughout my neighborhood at midnight.
There have been successes and failures for everyone here this past year. Those are now in, in every sense of the word, "in the past". This is the forward-looking day, the first one of a year full of potential. Happiness and success wait here to be created...comittment and effort will be involved, but truly that is what makes the successes and happiness all the sweeter.
As I ruminate here on this, so do my progeny, the firstborn at ironduke.net and the young one on his own site at BuddhaofDrumming. For them, this year has much larger implications, and looms imposingly in front of them as they embark on the work of creating their lives to come. They are people of talent and quality (not because they are my children, mind you!) and are not put off by hard work...the year that they will shape will be very interesting to observe.
As you progress through your year, may your successes be plentiful, your challenges all be conquerable and your happiness grow exponentially throughout. I think of you often and with love, and look forward to our shared happiness and successes in the year to come.
v
