A Good Year

I realize that it is January 15th, but I have been so busy that I have not been able to share my reflections of 2013.  Forgive my lateness...I will work on that this year...lol.

I love January.  It is always a busy month for my family, but I love buying my blank calendar and it staying so neat and tidy for a couple of weeks before it is covered in commitments, appointments, and the inevitable scratch outs. I also love January as it is the perfect time to look over the previous year and put it behind you. 

You can look back on it with fondness, with indifference, or you can slide into the New Year wondering how in the world you survived.

Last year was a good year. 

I know you are thinking...uh, Bea...then what was all that whining about?  You all in blog land get to here all about my woes that I tend to hide from those in my life.  You get to hear about all the negative stuff and help me figure out how to turn it into action to make my life better.  It can probably lead you to believe that I am a negative person, although I am not.

When you are in the midst of stressful situations, it is very difficult to see anything but the stress, especially when they last several months...and last year was very stressful.

The beginning of the year was a VERY stressful time for our family as Levi had a four hour total commute every day to work, a dear family member passed away, and we put our house on the market.

The last half of the year was spent moving into our new home and settling the kids and ourselves in all our newness...which sounds exciting, but I don't handle change well.  All of this was done on a thyroid that was only half working and trying out all the medicines to make it work better.

Sounds rough, but when I look back on my years, there are very few that I would consider "bad years".  I am learning as I approach middle age to find the JOY in everything.  To APPRECIATE everything.

Sure, we have had better years, but we have had worse years too.

This year I will try to live joyfully...I have a very good example to follow.

My grandmother is the most amazing person on this planet.  She stands around 4 feet and is a rather round woman.  She has stark white hair, glasses, tiny little feet, and has a tendency to wear the gaudiest costume jewelry.  She is in her 90s and still lives on her own. 

People are drawn to her.  I wish I could explain this better.  She attracts attention without trying no matter where we are.  At a restaurant someone will stop at the table just to compliment her earrings, or someone will run to a door to open it for her, or some guy will go out of his way to flirt with her...much to the consternation of the whole family.  She doesn't have money...living off of Social Security and her late husbands pension that I can guarantee you isn't much.  People will be walking along ignoring everyone in their path only to go out of their way to talk to her.  College students from her former apartment complex would take her out dancing and everyone calls her mom.  Children, mine included sit at her feet in wonder as she tells stories.  Young and old, rich and poor, any color...they are drawn to her like she is the most beautiful thing on the planet.

Our whole family stands around scratching their heads in wonder.  Of course we love her, but it appears that the rest of the world does too.  We just can't seem to figure out why...we know her, but what is it about her that draws strangers?

I have figured it out...JOY AND LOVE.  She is a walking billboard for joy and love.  She almost always has a smile on her face and she loves everyone.  She has certainly not lead a charmed life either.  Born during the depression, spent most of her life poor, her husband died in her arms at a young age, she has lost her brother and two out of her four children. She had to work very hard most of her life with very little money to show for it and she is full of JOY.  The JOY that can only be somewhere deep inside and glows so brightly that it is seen on the outside.

I hope that I am just like her when I grow up...although it would be nice if I wasn't quite so round:), but if I could be like her then I wouldn't even care.  I realize that it is only the 15th, but so far this has the makings of a good year.  I have a beautiful home, loving...although sometimes exasperating husband, amazing children, and we are blessed with great friends and family.  So as I think about my resolutions for the new year and write out that $1,000 check to fix my broken car...No matter what happens this year I am going to choose...

JOY.