Life

I haven't posted since December 8th. But I mostly kept my commitment to post every day of the year. This is the end of this blog - to document my life every day in pictures of the year I turn 60 years old. And it was quite a year.

My dictionary has many definitions for life. My very first post of the year had the words to a James Taylor song that I love - the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. I guess I did enjoy the passage of time this year - mostly. Even in the loss of my mother, I can say it was a meaningful and a learning experience for me. I'm not worried about where she is and I know I will see her again. It's ironic that tonight on New Year's Eve, I am here alone with no TV on and have been reading a book. It's a little paperback book that belongs to my "baby" sister called Life After Life. I was drawn to it tonight. I do believe in life after life.

I spent a lot of time tonight also going back over this entire blog, reading every entry and all the comments. Thank you friends and family and a couple of "unknowns" for your comments and interaction. Thank you, Joan, for this idea. I enjoyed your blog and you inspired me with your last comment to finish this out and post one last night before the year ends. Finish what I started.

I learned a lot this year. I learned that I can learn first of all! ha! I've kept journals by hand before and when I go back and read them, I'm amazed at the things I did, not realizing how busy I was. I never think I do enough. But this year I've learned that I do what I can. For the coming year, I don't know if I will blog again or not. I do love to blog but I might take a break from blogging every single day. I just haven't made a plan or decided yet. I really did enjoy going back and looking at the photos and posts on this blog and the comments people made. The middle of the year was very tough but I'm glad it's documented. I have the name of a company who will print your blog for you. I am going to check into that about the cost, etc., and I may do that to preserve it.

I've learned that I play many roles. I, of course, started out as two people's baby, then a sister, niece, granddaughter, cousin, wife, sister-in-law, mother, aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother and, hopefully, friend. And all these people have played a role in my life. If I have any resolutions for the year 2010, it is to love myself so that I may love and do for others. I've learned that lesson this year. I'm not trying to be self-centered but selfish. There's a difference. By being selfish, which means just loving myself, I'll be better able to love others, give clean gifts, and serve as a better role model of someone who loves and gives to others but also has a life of her own to enjoy.

I plan to start the year of 2010 with art classes on January 4th. There are a few other things I have planned, too, but I'm just going to try to enjoy the ride again. None of us know what the next year holds but all we can do is our best. My goal is improvement for myself in all areas possible and to love my God, the life he has given me and my family and friends. I hope everyone reading this has a very meaningful 2010. Thank you for visiting my blog in 2009. It was a good experience.

Above is a photo taken this Christmas of my immediate family - my husband, my two daughters and their husbands and my granddaughter. I love them all dearly. But I have so much of an extended family that I love dearly, too. Life has been good to me in my 60 years and I'm so thankful for that.