2017: A New Hope

Most people would say 2016 was a horrid year.  I can't disagree; there was a great deal of death and chaos in the world.  As the year was wrapping up it seemed like we were all counting down to the death of 2016 and were more than ready to embrace 2017 with hope.  

Personally, 2016 does not compare with 2012, which goes down as the WORST possible year for me EVER.  For me that was the year of death, unemployment and personal tragedy.  I NEVER want to see another 2012 again.  (Although 2014 ranks up there as another rotten year; it tried to claw its way up to the number one position as worst year ever for me, but just couldn't make it no matter how hard it tried.  Take that 2014!)  On a global scale, I can say that 2016 is the worst in memory, but on a personal level it can't compete with 2012.

I rang 2016 in with my family (including my parents) at the fabulous Skytop Lodge. (Which is deserving of a blog post of its own.  It's a lovely and somewhat expensive resort in the Poconos which is perfect year round.  Don't tell my son, but my husband I drove up there the day before my 50th birthday to have lunch.  YES, we drove 150 miles round trip for lunch and it was a blast.  My husband, son and I also went for a long weekend in early November which was fantastic as well and we stayed at the Inn on the property, not the Lodge, which was a new experience for me.  And considering the fact that I've been going to Skytop since I was 6 months old is saying something!  Old familiar places can also give you new and exciting experiences!)  It was an experience that would be hard to top.  AND I got to go ice skating AND Hiking on the first day of the year.

In 2016 also brought me a new job which I truly love.  It's more stress than I'd experienced at my previous position, but that's part of the territory and it keeps me going.  It also allows me to work from home occasionally.  That meant I could work AND celebrate my son's birthday, see him off on his first day of school AND get through a work related crisis while having a killer sinus infection.  (There is nothing wrong with talking to your boss from the waiting room of the physician's office.)  The only bad thing about it is Rt. 3 traffic.  (Those of you who live or have lived in North Jersey know what I mean.)

I had a wonderful 50th (ouch!) birthday celebration.  I threw myself a party and had oodles of fun with a wide variety of friends.  (Rain couldn't even put a damper on it.)  As previously stated, I had a fun lunch with hubby the day before the actual day.  And of the day of, I just lounged around (although I did do some volunteer work at the Thrift Shop too.)


In addition to Disney, we had a good summer.  My son camped and spent time with both sets of grandparents.  My husband and I traveled to Albany for a wonderful wedding.  And just before autumn we celebrated our 20th anniversary.

We had a typical autumn with a Halloween that was not too cold (remember the snowstorm of 2011 and Sandy of 2012).  We celebrated Thanksgiving and had a wonderful drama free Christmas.

So as you can see for me PERSONALLY 2016 wasn't all that bad.  Maybe it wasn't all that bad for you too.  (I certainly hope it was not.)

Now globally...well, I don't have to get into all of that do I?  We all have our thoughts on the national politics, global issues, and the growing unrest in our country.   There has been too much violence.  And there has definitely been too much death.  (And I'm not just talking about the celebrities.)

Now here we are at 2017.  Time for new hope.  I said this before, but it is worth repeating:  there is always hope. Each sunrise brings us the promise of a new day and no day is the same. Every day is filled with new promise. Every day can be filled with hope, with the anticipation that something new and wonderful can come to fruition.

Let's make 2017 the year for hope. A year where we find it and spread it.  If we do, 2017 just might turn out to be a pretty good one.


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