The New Year is Here!

Another year has come to an end...and I'm a year older as of January 2nd.

You know, it's funny, when we are younger, we all desire to be older, to be adult-like.  And then when the mid-20s come, most want to revert back to their youth and stop the hands of time.  Some find contentment when they reach 30-- I am one such person.  I can't speak for the 40s, although I've heard it's the most productive years of one's life, or the 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s.  But living with and taking care of my Grandma, I certainly can tell you what the late-90s are like...  you wish every day that you could have stored the energy of your youth in a bottle and saved it for just this moment in time, but, instead,  you use that spent energy to pull yourself through the day, reminiscing on the days of yesteryear and all that you accomplished then, while doing your best to live in the moment, hoping for a better world for those you will soon leave behind than that which you experienced.  If you're lucky, your mind is still sharp as a tack; unfortunately, your body is, by that time, more than likely, detached from it. 

We all wish that we could go back in time and change certain events that we all wish hadn't occurred.  I sometimes find myself dwelling (or even obsessing) on some of those events.  But then I remember that it is those same events that have molded me into the person that I am today and that because of those events I am a much better person now than I was then.

This year, I am bound and determined, will be the year to make up for all of my life experience years of recent memory.  I am convinced that the lean years were necessary in order to plant the seeds for the fruitful years ahead.

For the first time in my adult life, I have made a list of goals that I will accomplish throughout the year.  I have separated them into categories so that none get lost amongst the others.  If my list is any indication of the crop that lie ahead, I foresee fields of golden wheat as far as the eye can see come harvest time.

Yes, this year is going to be that year.

Unfortunately, the year has already started off on a sour note, as my Grandma fell and broke her hip on New Year's Eve, which required surgery on my birthday.  Fortunately, she pulled through just fine and is in rehab now.  Without prior experience of dealing with health-related issues, I would have allowed my plans to be deterred.  Alas, I have learned that lesson, which will soon be added to another list of mine-- a list of life long lessons I am determined to learn from and/or have promised myself to never repeat.

My list is ambitious, no doubt.  I have accepted that I might not be able to accomplish everything on it, depending on how life sorts itself out throughout the year, but my list will be posted on my bedroom wall, where I can read every day and mark off each event as it's accomplished.

And since sharing one's goals acts as a stimulant to accomplishing them, I will be listing my goals for 2010 in my next post.

I wish you all a fantastic start to your new year.  I can tell that it is going to be a memorable and bountiful one!  Best wishes to all!