The snow just kept falling with no sign of letting up. Sitting in my favorite chair with a good book I could take in the beauty through the picture window without giving too much thought to the immense task of snow removal that awaited everyone.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The setting of the book, combined with the weather, caused me to think longingly of a summer vacation several years earlier when I soaked up stunning sunshine while relaxing in a beach chair enjoying an equally great book by the same author. My mind easily recalled the sandcastles we built with our girls, the evenings around a campfire, the store with the many flavors of ice cream, and walks along interesting trails as we explored the campground. There was something else on that vacation--a freak occurrence resulting in our 4-year old falling out of the tent trailer in the middle of the night and getting hung up on a rope holding the canvas in place. My husband flew across the trailer and out the door in a heartbeat and right away she was safe in her daddy鈥檚 arms but the event left us shaken for quite some time.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As one year ends and another begins it is a prime opportunity for news, sports, business and entertainment analysts to look back and evaluate the top stories of the past year. As the lists are reviewed there will be many events recalled easily while others require a jog of the memory. The likelihood of us remembering a particular event could depend on the size of the story, the impact it had on us personally, or even at what point of the year it occurred. The airliner tragedy of December 28 is very familiar especially since the story is still unfolding, but how easily do we recall the airline disaster in July which claimed 116 lives? When asked what the top medical stories of the year were we would probably list Ebola but would we remember to add poliomyelitis which the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To read and listen to the accounts one might think the past year was all about racism, terrorism, violence, corruption, bombings, and shootings. There was more. Much more. But it might take time for those images to emerge amidst what is in the forefront of our thoughts.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 If I think back to the past year of my own life certain events rise to remembrance first. I have made mistakes. I have regrets. There were things I had hoped to do which didn鈥檛 get completed. I鈥檝e been hurt and I have no doubt I hurt others. But I also accomplished things I hadn鈥檛 anticipated and got to experience special moments I hadn鈥檛 necessarily planned for when 2014 rolled out. There were times when I found the merry-go-round of daily activity taking one too many trips around the same route but there were also roller coasters (both figurative and literal) that took my breath away.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There were of course many things that don鈥檛 quickly come to mind since the passing of even a few months has muted their noteworthiness鈥r blunted their sting. But it can never diminish the impact they have had on my life. That鈥檚 the reason we can reminisce about a camping trip and joyfully recall sandcastles and campfires rather than close calls and rope burns. It鈥檚 the reason we can look back at national and international events and see reason to hope rather than be paralyzed by their brutality. It鈥檚 the reason that no matter how arbitrary it may be, as a new year rolls around each January it can provide a sense of new possibilities and unbridled optimism--if we let it. The past cannot be changed--nor entirely forgotten--but certainly built upon.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So we set our feet on the fresh path and continue the journey. A new year can provide the motivation to look at things differently--to do things better--to chart a new course with the intent of creating new results. Perhaps it鈥檚 not so much about making New Year鈥檚 resolutions as it is about being resolute in what matters in the new year. That鈥檚 my outlook.
