“Good riddance!” They say.
“Just let this year end!” I heard.
“Bring on 2010. May it be a million times better than ‘o9,” was a toast at last night’s dinner.
Look, we all know that it wasn’t a great year. It was a year of loss. A messy year in the economy. And blah, blah, blah there were lots of bad things that happened.
But, really? Can’t you find at least one thing to help you look back on 2009 with a smile? Because I sure can. Every time people wished this year to end, I looked down at my beautiful 5-month-old baby girl and felt guilt. And several times I smiled to , out loud, don’t worry, sweetie. 2009 was one of the greatest years of my life.
Sure, we had some downers. Our family lost two beloved grandparents. The market crashed. Gas prices skyrocketed (before, of course, going back down.)
But, my goodness, people! It was a great year. Tell me you didn’t smile one time in 2009. Tell me that there isn’t something that makes you feel warm when you look back. Tell me that you can’t jog your brain for one good moment in an entire 365 days. Tell me. And I’ll feel really, truly sorry for you.
2009 is a part of our history. My history. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to start a new year thinking so negatively about my past.
Looking back on the year you may, indeed, remember Bernie Madoff and Health Care Reform (or, whatever you want to call the joke it may be becoming.) You may recall that this year we lost Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze and Brittany Murphy. (And many personal losses make it even harder. I know.)
But if you’re hard-pressed to find some happy 2009 memories, allow me to assist:
- Laura Ling and Euna Lee were freed from captivity in N. Korea
- H1N1 proved to be much less natioanlly terrorizing than predicted
- Glee
- Susan Boyle brought tears to eyes and opened our minds
- Chesley Sullenberger landed a damaged plane successfully on the Hudson River with no injuries or deaths
- The Hangover
In need of more happiness? When I’m feeling down in the dumps, I pull up my favorite happy site, Squidoo. You just have to smile.
So rather than dwelling on the negative, please, take a moment to reflect on what made your year so darn good. And share the happiness with your family. Here’s a way to do it. Gather your family together this weekend and list all of the successes you accomplished. Maybe the 4-year-old wrote his name! An 8-year-old scored a soccer goal! Your spouse got a raise! Identify everything good and write it all down. All of it. Take your time. More and more will come to you.
Next, attach a family photo, place it in an envelope, and file it away. Pull it out on a rough day in 2010. Or wait until next New Year’s when you need inspiration.
Let’s start 2010 with a positive spirit. Its important for you. Its important for your family.
© 2010, Julie Meyers Pron. All rights reserved.
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