I noticed how I felt this year as the ball dropped from Times Square at midnight. (Frivolous, as I was sitting among all of my neighbours at a block party). I could compare it with all the other times I watched it fall. Sometimes with my husband and our circle of friends, sometimes alone as a single mother with my kids tucked in bed, sometimes in the arms of a lover, sometimes not even noticing it because I would sleep through it (alone). That was better than watching it alone, experiencing other's joy at the New Year. Those times often brought out feelings of trepidation and worry. My life hasn't been easy, but it's been a helluva lot of fun. The holidays are mile markers for us. It gets us to think, to remember the time-line of our lives and it brings out many emotions.

That's why I'm always relieved when the holidays are over. I don't need the memories.
However, I noticed I felt completely different putting up my tree this year. Because I'm in a new location, those memories were different. I had a lot of pain in my life these past few years, and all of that is gone (or mostly dead and buried). Because I RESOLVED to get out of it and live differently. As for the New Year, I DID write out my goals, but I've have to write out my MONTHLY resolutions, every month for the past year, so it's no big deal. If anything, this year is like a fresh start.

No one is responsible for our happiness or success over failures but ourselves.
We all have our separate list of personal challenges.
So for those of you who are healthy and happy, be blessed, .....and for those of you still in turmoil or pain of any kind, may you have the strength to endure and overcome, for it takes a resolved mindset to make this a better world. Each of us is responsible. Let's get to it.