Recently I have seen Facebook posts by a number of different friends,
along the general lines of "2016, You Suck!" Friends and family who
have posted this sentiment are generally lamenting the loss of beloved
celebrities - actors, musicians, authors, etc. - if not the far suckier
things like economic uncertainties and violence around the world. I know
that most, if not all, of those sentiments are written in the moment,
and a careful examination of 2015 or 2014 or 2013 would reveal the same
number of losses, the same number of incidents in our individual
communities and around the world which invoke fear and uncertainty and
disgust. Social media has a tendency to make us think things have never
been this bad in all the history of mankind (they have) and we've never
lost so many actors and musicians and authors as we have this year (we
have - go to Wikipedia, type in the year, scroll down.)
Life is hard. Sometimes it's harder than it is at other times.
Life is wonderful. Sometimes it's more wonderful than at other times.
Sometimes
it's both. For myself, 2016 has been both. I pushed myself outside my
comfort zone a dozen times and found myself pushed outside it by
unwelcome forces. Forgotten fears resurfaced. New fears tagged along.
There have been health concerns, both for myself and in my family, and a
couple of those were downright frightening. There was stress at work. I
changed residences and even after downsizing I still have
way.too.much.stuff. And if anyone is actually looking for sucky stuff,
one only has to turn on the news (it is debatable who portrays doom and
gloom the best: social media or the "real" media.)
Pushed
outside my comfort zone, I found forgotten strength to handle those
forgotten fears. Rifts were healed, friendships renewed. Health scares
turned out to be less frightening than when they first appeared, and
health returned. Babies were born - beautiful, precious babies - a
grandnephew and children of friends, and I got to hold them, and did I mention they are
beautiful and precious? (Seriously, people, if you think this or any other year
"sucks", you need to go ask to hold someone's baby, and hold that baby
until your perspective is reset!) I taught 3-4-5 year old children at
church this year and I'm pretty sure I have less hair than when I
started but oh, how I have grown to love those children! Work got better
- considerably so - not less challenging, but less stressful. "Stuff"
is making its way out the door faster than it's coming in. I read more, and found books which made it to my "favorites" shelf. I wrote more (not on my blogs; I know you just checked that, admit it!) - and - I submitted my work. Okay, so it was rejected. But I submitted! For the first time in a decade.
I woke up. 364 days so far this
year, I woke up. I have wonderfully supportive friends and family who
are there at times of crises and there for the good times. I have a job.
I have food on the table and in the pantry. I have what a coworker
refers to as "The Over 50 Disease" but overall, my health is good. I
live in a free country where I get a say in who runs it, even if
ofttimes those choices are less than stellar. The tough parts of this
year I handled, occasionally with finesse and decorum, and those tough
times put me on paths I wouldn't have found myself on otherwise.
One
of those paths took me where I needed to be for my heart to be open to a
relationship with an absolutely amazing woman. The relationship is yet in its infancy and I am still astounded at the exquisite comfort
and joy of having this incredibly loving and lovable person in my life, who loves and cherishes me and allows me to love and cherish her in return. And before I break out into song, I'll
just say I am a truly blessed man.
No, 2016, you don't suck. You totally rock.
