A New Year

Just so everyone knows we just rolled into town.

I want to say this…

          2011 has been one of the best and worst years of my life. I have received more than I deserve and nearly lost more than I could ever replace. I, out of exhaustion, fear, thankfulness, courage, and hope, welcome this New Year. Admittedly, it feels shaky, uncomfortable, and heavy being filled with the unknown. My life and the lives of so many people around me will change this year. New beginnings, births, families, homes and jobs, will all take place this year. Old enduring goals will finally be met, old wounds will be healed and old enemies will break bread in peace. Yet, even though I speak of these things as certainty, I have learned this last year that nothing is. Any or all of our plans for this year are susceptible to change, improve, or even disappear. I am learning to not be bothered by that, though; even with all that we stand to gain or lose, there is a calm surrounding this year. There is something, almost concrete enough to hold, floating in the looming presence of time to come. While we may be inclined to, in the grasp of superstition’s restraints and in the candle light of false hope, only whisper of it for fear of watching it spring away, evading us once forever; I am here, now, proclaiming it as ours. This idea that we hope for but rarely think we deserve, victory, is ours this year. I am claiming it and choosing to grow through it. I will not be dragged into defeat this year; I, and too many others are depending on success this coming year. I will keep carrying the fire, believing all is not lost and that we will and have already won. I believe we can be and do better than last year. All of us. I don’t care who you are, where you come from, what you believe, or where you are going; we can be better than what we have been. We will be better than what we have been. This is no New Year’s Resolution; this is a proclamation of success. We will meet our fears and uncertainties as they come, and with our resolve to overcome, backed by our families and friends from all walks of life, we will not be beaten. We can, together, face anything. We are, in our communities, bonds, faith, and determination, unbreakable.

One part of a song has continually ran through my head these past few days; I will end with it as a creed for this coming year.

Love is wild for reasons, and though hope is short in sight. It might be the only thing that wakes you by surprise.  – Jars of Clay