New Beginings

As 2015 rolls to an end, I can only be grateful. This has been a rough year. Not just for me but for several members of my family and friends as well.

It’s strange, actually, that at the beginning of the year I had high hopes. Yet at the same time, felt a bit of dread. How quickly those sickening feelings took root and bloomed. On January 25^th, my mom’s last living 1^st cousin died. She was exactly 2 months older than my dad. On February 23^rd my dad had a stroke. One that he would not recover from. Five weeks and five days later, he died. Now both of my parents were gone and the house I had grown up in sat empty.

It’s said that deaths come in three’s. It sure did with our family. On July 15^th, my cousin’s birthday, my sweet sister-in-law died from breast cancer. I felt like I had been kicked in the teeth and even now, months later, tears have sprung in my eyes. Perhaps because she was close to my age, that her death hit me especially hard. I know all of them are in Heaven, but the empty spots they left behind seems like huge voids.

So now, with the announcement of fireworks all around, the old year is ‘in the books’ and 2016 has arrived with boundless possibilities.

This is a new beginning. I don’t know what this year holds, but I know I’ll embrace it for all it’s worth. New opportunities await.

New dreams to be fulfilled.

New books to be written.

New friendships to be made.

New life to be brought into this world with God smiling down upon the innocent babes.

I can take a sigh of relief, relax and everything will fall into place, just as it’s supposed to. I sincerely wish a wonderful year for each and every one of you.

Goodbye 2015.

WELCOME 2016!!!!