Thursday, December 31, 2009

Looking back and a little forward

It's trite, but I only get to say it once a year...As we come to the end of another year, I wonder how the time has flown by so quickly. And when I think about the end of another decade, I'm really in awe. It seems like just yesterday that Y2K was haunting us, and we were preparing for Armageddon. Prepared for the worst and expected the best and indeed the best happened...nothing.

I am a bit overwhelmed as this year draws to a close. Big projects at work and looming deadlines are pressuring me to stay on task. (Obviously that's not what's happening now, is it?:) Happily a wonderful vacation is on the near horizon -- a time to spend with close friends in a sunny clime, relaxing, refreshing and reconnecting.

We lost several family members this year, all elders, and missed so very much. The biggest loss for me was my 89 year old dad. Walt -- as he was known to so many friends and colleagues in Omaha -- was amazing. He was so smart, and he loved to share his knowledge. He was a doctor, a professor, a historian, an ethicist, a gardener and a great dad. The lessons he taught his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will live on in us forever -- to give back to your community, to read anything and everything, and to always have a bit of candy on hand, just to make life a little sweeter.

We are the elders now, my brothers and I. I guess we will have to be on our best behavior as there are no longer any parents around to scold or tutor us. Just our memories of days gone by.

So much is going on in our world -- the good, the bad and the terribly ugly. May the new year bring us all peace, joy and good health (maybe we can all afford that now:) May we stop along our journey through 2010 to hug a loved one, kiss a kid and hold the hand of an elder. Life goes by too fast. I, for one, will try hard to slow it down just a tad so I don't miss a thing.

Happy New Year!