Followers

10 January 2011

2011-What took you so long?



While everyone else was shopping for presents and decorating and caught up in the commercialism of Christmas, I was waiting for 2011 to get here.

2011 represents a lot to me.

A new beginning.

The year that my beloved Michael will be back from the Sinai.

And that I survived 2010 without Michael being in my airspace.

To be more specific, I yearned for January 2011.

Christmas would be over, a season I dreaded this year, or at least the trappings of the season I dreaded.  I still eagerly anticipated the Reason for the Season but snow kept me from Midnight Mass.  I think God understood.

I planned to spend a glorious January and February 2011 reading, sipping hot drinks, snuggling in my recliner with my blankie and my dog(s) and catching up on movies I'd put on the back burner.

Today is January 10 and the first 10 days of the new year have been taken away by a virus/flu/fill-in-the-blank that has not responded to anything my doctor or I have thrown at it.  Nearly everyone I talk to has it...it just doesn't go away.  Now my husband is coming down with it and with his compromised lungs and heart, this is a big no-no.

Although the body is sick, the mind never stops.

I have reviewed my life, taken stock and inventory of it and decided what is working, what has to go and what needs to come into it to make me happy, healthy and whole.  My husband and I pray out loud before we go to sleep now.  I determine on a daily/hourly/minute/nanosecond basis what isn't working in my world and delete it.  Life is too short for drama.  I do things because I want to do them.  I have reclassified the things I dread to do and put them in a new light and consider that I am lucky that I CAN do them.  I opened my eyes to the world not only around my airspace but that of across our world and decided to do what I can to make it better.  I make sure that my nearest and dearest know that I love them and never miss an opportunity to tell them so when we leave each other via visit or phone call.

I am a people person.

I love to make people happy.

I like to make them for one minute smile while their world is crashing down around them.

To this end, I spent the Christmas season doing just that.

Roger and I knitted and crocheted a stained glass window afghan for Kathy.

I made a baby afghan for my sistah-friend's new granddaughter.

We made another sistah-friend a bakery box of goodies and sent it to her.

I made another sistah-friend a couple of memory blankets.

And that was Christmas to me.

Of course the highlight of 2011 (so far) will be in May when Michael comes home.  Never have I missed another human being more.  Never have I been more proud of him and his accomplishments over the past 8 months. 

I've given up mourning for a world that once was and purposed to do what I can to make this world a better place.  And it starts with me.  I can't clean up the whole world but I can bloom where I'm planted.

The horrific Tucson tragedy of Saturday has laid heavy upon me.  People being killed and shot for trying to do their job and help others who elected them to positions.  People turning their heads and ignoring a problem, saying, "It's not my problem.  Someone else can handle it."

You know what?

If you see it, it IS your problem.

No longer will I be silent and uninvolved when I notice someone who seems to be having problems in public, be it illness or any other kind.  It is my responsibility to notify law enforcement of what I have seen and let them take over.  I am the eyes and ears for those who seek to protect me as they can't see it all.  How many tragedies are we going to have to go through(Columbine, Virginia Tech, 9/11, etc.) before we each realize that it begins with us.  There is nothing more important that looking out for each other.  And it doesn't take much energy or time to notify someone when you notice something isn't right.  What?  Are you afraid of being wrong?  Afraid that someone will think you're overreacting?  That's why you put it in another more experienced hands and bring it to their radar.  They are trained.  It takes a village to raise a child.  It takes each other to live in the world today.  None of us are immune to violence.  To think that "that could never happen to me or my family" is just wrong on so many accounts. 

So please keep your eyes open in 2011.  Continue to believe.  Continue to look for the good and bad and how you can help. 

I love you all.





10 comments:

Maribeth said...

Blessings!

Laura~peach~ said...

sounds like an awesome plan to me... hope roger does not get the full force of the mess... and hope you recover quickly... ok just recover..The sinus congestion coughing horrid crap going around is not fun and very harsh... my neice just got out of the hospital yesterday from coughing so hard she tore her esophagus and in turn needed 4 units of blood ... have mercy...thank you again for the afgan I love homemade hand made things of beauty and It is a useful thing of beauty and Halo loves it :)
love you.

WinnyNinny PooPoo said...

You are getting me all ready for the new year on a positive note! Hoping the flu leaves you all soon - my sister and her husband had it - 12 days before it started to fade....

WinnyNinny PooPoo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
WinnyNinny PooPoo said...

PS blogger posted my comment 2x - lets see if it does it again!!!

joanne said...

well said Ness...Happy New Year to you...you are the Blessing in my life and I thank you. love...j

Debbie said...

Thrilled for you that Michael will be home THIS year and I can see that just the thought has you feeling more positive and uplifted. ((Hugs))

I loved this post and love you are feeling better mentally :) Hoping the physical gets better too...both of you!

Love ya hon ♥♥♥

Anonymous said...

Got you both in my thoughts and prayers. Sorry that you are sick and nothing seems to help that nasty stuff. Hope you are both feeling great very soon.

I was looking forward to the new year too and was glad the hustle and bustle of the holidays was over when the new year finally arrived. Hugs!

Debbie said...

I was thinking today that something was wrong, as I had not seen you on facebook or the blog lately. I am glad you blogged!! I am sorry you guys are sick. Please get better soon my friend, and get Roger better. I worry about you 2 and of course pray for you daily. I love you, hope that you know that.
Thyat stained glass afghan is simply beautiful!! Good job, Ness and Roger!!!

God Bless~
Debbie Jean

Alice said...

What a lovely reminder for how we all need to be. Thinking of you dear Ness, hoping you are better soon and hoping that 2011 is year I get to see your beautiful face in person!

xoxo