Farewell to another year

Here we are, at the end of yet another year.

It always amazes me how quickly the years pass, yet how easily they meld one into the other.

For instance, it seems like just yesterday that my beautiful boy was an infant; and I'm sure John will tell you that I've always been here.

Yet, I've only lived here fifteen years, and my grandson is already nine years old.

"Time flies when you're having fun," as the saying goes.

Ain't that the truth!

Another year wraps up and I've not made any further inroads with my family tree research, primarily because I've not spent any significant time on that project.  However, now that I have my sanctuary, I plan to get back to that in earnest in the new year.

As this year closes, I can't help but think of the family and friends who are no longer with us:

• My brother, John, left us in August (he was 56 years old).
• A very good friend, Duane, passed away in September.
• In November, my grand-niece, Tamarra, was taken (only 18 years old).
• Just four days before Christmas, my cousin Gerry passed away very suddenly (57 years old).
• A friend (and regular reader of this blog) lost her father-in-law on Christmas Eve.

May they all rest in peace, and watch over their loved ones here on earth.

And as this year comes to an end, I'm reminded of my resolve of many years ago -- a credo I adopted as a teenager and have tried to live by ever since (admittedly, I have on occasion lost sight of it but I eventually always come back to it).  I had read The Serenity Prayer I know not where, but I know I was still a teenager when it first came to my attention.

"God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference."

Although I was still quite young, it struck me as such a common-sense approach to life.  Essentially, if I could live by its philosophy, the easy stuff would take care of itself and the tough stuff, well -- not much I could do about that over which I had no control.  I try very hard to identify that which I should accept.

My resolve for 2011 is to remember to keep the lessons of that prayer in mind as the new year progresses.