The Year of the Pen

    Each year as the end of the year rolls around there are numerous lists of the 10 best, worst, funniest, saddest, and whatever other name can be slapped on a list of 10 somethings during the year. I like checking out some of those little "year in review" lists; they become snapshots to remind me what went on during the year while I was busy being busy. Relax my friends, this is not going to be one of those lists. Well, then again no promises, I’m just going to follow this missive to the end.

   I spent a bit of time thinking about this past year and the new one hurtling at us. Not surprisingly I decided I wanted to get some thoughts down on paper, though I didn’t want to make just another "year in review" list type of thing; several someones have been gracious enough to do that for me already.  The end of the year easily lends itself to look back at what was; whether with fondness, or a tear, a grumble, or a guffaw, we all have things to be grateful and thankful for.  The New Year is always a bright shiny box we have to wait to open until January 1^st. We open that wondrous mystery with the hope that within there will be bigger and better, new and exciting happenings;ever hopeful it includes untapped wells of quiet strength and boundless faith tucked in the corners to carry us through till we say goodbye to the year that was at its conclusion.  

     The year 2014 was another typical atypical year; it had 365 days like any non-leap year, the sun rose up in the morning and dropped below the horizon at night. During those days strung end to end there were many moments for us to stop and take notice that it was a great year, mainly because we’re still above ground at the end of it. Not everyone was so lucky. Some of us lost someone close to us, or at least near the sphere of our day-to-day; their absence most notable during those moments we know they would have enjoyed too. Others we will miss from afar because there are no new offerings to make us laugh, the sound behind the music that carries us on epic road trips is silent, or the eloquent words on paper we use to whittle away a cold rainy day have come to the end of that life's book. Many of us have added to our families, whether by an exchange of rings, bundles of joy with tiny little fingers and tiny little toes, or made some new friends to add the family that’s not related by blood.

     This has been a year of change for me, the biggest of which you are a part of now by reading this. Starting this blog and keeping it going has been a big step for me and an ongoing one at that; finding my voice and keeping my ear tuned to the world around me has been a lot of fun. I’ve written for years, since I was a kid really, though more in earnest after I started keeping a journal in the 70’s, and I’ve never really shared those words on paper with more than a handful of folks.  Now a day doesn’t feel complete unless I’ve written something, even if it’s just a book review or two on Amazon.

     I really want to express a big Thank You and attempt to convey how grateful I am to those of you who take the time to read the musings, rants and silly stories that flow from the ends of these fingers. If i had to give 2014 a name it would be the Year of the Pen, and now I face 2015 with a blank piece of paper and my trusty pen with the hope that I never really find the bottom of the hole in the paper. Thank you for stopping by.

                                                  *** Happy New Year! ****

.