Happy New Year

Can you believe it? A new year is yet again upon us! It's this time of year when people reflect on their lives and make resolutions ( promises ) to be better, look better, do better, save better, spend better, have better.  I've come to realize that in order to keep those types of promises you first need to reflect on the lessons of the previous year. For instance, I learned that taking care of ME first is not selfish but crucial! As most mom's will attest, when we become mother's we put our heart and soul into protecting, praising, teaching, and worrying about our child/children. In doing so we often lose sight of ourselves. I've had people tell me countless times that if "you don't take care of yourself, you'll get sick and then what will happen"?  As you can imagine, I didn't listen.  I'm nothing if not stubborn. The "what will happen" was a case of shingles, followed by a bout of Pneumonia that I nearly died from, a recurring bout of shingles, high blood pressure, stage 3 kidney disease and a list of other things. Needless to say the Universe forced it's hand to get me to that place of understanding how critical it will be from here forward to take care of Naomi! What about you?

We've all seen what appears to be the whole of the earth going to hell in a hand basket. Families losing their homes, parents losing their jobs, countless children going without food, the educational system failing, the Government losing sight of who it really works for..... in previous years I have done what most people do and that is take care of mine first and only. I suffered from the sheep mentality that if I can't help me and mine I sure as shit am not gonna help someone else! Besides, they did it to themselves! 

How more wrong could I have been? While there are some people who actually did sabotage themselves into their current situation(s) the are not the whole of all others. This year I learned that no matter what I have in my checking account, my wallet, etc. sometimes helping means digging down deep and doing what's right. Sometimes helping is nothing more than listening and that act is FREE. I learned the lessons, this year of "Random Acts of Kindness" and how rewarding that is. How about you?

I learned that  God is abundant, faithful, never ending. I learned that his miracles are everywhere and if I stop looking so hard to see them, I might see that they lay behind of the eyes of  my children, my friends of old and new, the grace of that strangers smile, the sunset, the sunrise....where has He touched your life?

My wish for 2012 is simple: May our friendships grow deeper and stronger, my our lives continue to bless those we meet today and beyond, may God continue to show us his abundance of miracles and the wisdom for us to see them, may the ones who have scorned us, mocked us and hurt us, know that we are stronger because of them, may the world finally know peace. Happy New Year!