(Jan. 1/17) Good Riddance Can Be Such Rubbish…

To those who have lost loved ones, who have suffered personal tragedies and struggles, my heart and prayers go out to you…

Please know that what follows is not meant to diminish what you have/are going through…it is not meant to demean any sense of relief you may experience at the thought of closing a horrific chapter in your life…

My post is meant to reflect a perspective shared by many who take the view that–however distressing–celebrity deaths and political upheaval do not determine a year’s worth….

Time is a fleeting collection of moments…it is not a thing we can point at and judge as being worthy or unworthy….for, “while there is life, there is hope” (Marcus Tullius Cisero)…and, given that time allows for that, we must try to remember to be grateful for the time we are given….

However, in the interest of making my well-meaning point, let’s suspend belief and allow time to take on a life of its own….

Dear 2017,
In the coming (365) days a good deal of changes are going to be attributed to the arbitrary time frame that is you.  And, while you will be given credit for the good times, don’t get too complacent. For, other things can–and must–happen, too; and chances are, some of those pivotal moments will happen on your watch…That is beyond your control, but you will be held accountable none-the-less. So, while you are enjoying the accolades being heaped on you today, try to compassionately remember that, for some, the fact that they are alive to look back and reflect on you won’t be enough to make them see that being alive is the greatest gift of all….and that everything else is a part of life…
Sincerely, 2016

God bless you, Wonderfuls…wishing you your best year yet…and that the same holds true every  year after 🙂

P.S. Thanks to Kat for her (Dec 27/16) post, and the comments we exchanged as a result…she inspired today’s offering…You can find her awesome blog at

https://fieldworkinstilettos.com/

30 thoughts on “(Jan. 1/17) Good Riddance Can Be Such Rubbish…”

  1. Poignant Truly, moments define our path in the future. It’s up to each individual to decide how to journey trough it. Some events cause minds to deviate down a bleak road surrounded in darkness. I feel that any that have trod that trail should offer thoughts and support to those unfortunate to either be on it, or find themselves, in the next 12 months, to be cast towards it.

    Those, like me, that have sat on the platform of life watching the train pull away have plenty of time for those trying to buy tickets. The world is filled with uncertainty at the moment with political upheavals and change that seems to breaking long held unity. Underneath that I am not of the pursuasion that people across the globe want anything but peace. To those ends there I hope that people can see there are others out there that call them friend. Culture, race, or religion are irrelevant in the deed of being kind, thoughtful and tolerant. I am proud of the people I connect with and more so knowing they are from countries far and wide.

    I rather think I’ve gone almost melancholic there 🤔

    Happy New Year and may it pass peacefully before handing over to 2018

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    1. Hear, hear, my friend! We must remember that so many of us are willing to help each other get through the rough waters (whether on a micro or macro level). As a writer (though neither published nor paid 🙂 ), I share in service of giving of my best self. I am so grateful for this blogging community of treasured souls who seek to do the same…I am so grateful that you are among them 🙂

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      1. Yes, that is often the understated and sometimes unappreciated kindness that makes you such a wondeful friend. I suspect at time you have, or do, put others before yourself too. My book for example…with everything else going on, you still said yes when maybe you should have said not right now? That’s where you standing rises into opinion despite the extra pressure it puts you under. However, never feel pressured my friend. Ever! Oh, and your style of writing says, to me, published you will be 😊

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      2. I am really enjoying your fantastic writing…and I am so delighted that I am reading an actual manuscript…who gets to say that? And, it is so cool that I have writer friends…a lazy way of feeling like a real writer (so, see…I’m not all unselfishness and light 🙂 ). And, no, I do not regret saying yes…I would have let you know if I wasn’t in the position to do so…I am trying to read some every day, and am committed to making time to do so….it is a priority, my friend 🙂 Lastly, thanks for your faith in my writing future…I’ll need to lean on it when the time comes that I have something to publish…who knows when that will be….in the meantime, blogging keeps me writing consistently and that is such a huge blessing 🙂

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      3. I never thought about that! Saying it in terms of someone reading an actual manuscript. I guess that demonstrates how much trust I have in you yes 😇 My proofer said it kept her turning the pages too, which was very generous I thought and a good feeling if I’m honest! Your writing will out when the time is right too…there are no limits there. Some people take many years to write that first one, orhers much less. For my sins I started dabbling in writing proper fiction around three years ago. Since then I’ve put up multiple short stories as you know and written three novels. The one you have is the second, the first awaits a proper edit by me and the third is almost complete now. Blogging is excellent practice too and, in your case, highly entertaining if I do say so myself! Long may it continue 😊

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      4. You have the Stephen King gift for prolific writing ability…I am like the tortoise of writers….opposites that way, but so much alike in other ways…makes for a magical connection… Also, I can read pretty fast while absorbing so much…I’m a third way through your novel, and, as I knew within a couple sentences, it’s fantastic!!! 🙂

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      5. Crumbs, if I had an ounce of his talent I’d be happy! That said, if I can publish then it would settle so many demons within and allow me to write without the background uncertainty. But a third through already….you must be with Whitaker or thereabouts! As for being a tortoise….er….it was a decade of thinking about writing before I actually tried!! You are very generous with your time and support too!

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  2. Ultimately, we are all products of the experiences we have and the decisions we make, and it remains a peculiar detail of human condition that something as precious as the future is entrusted to us when we possess so little foresight. Perhaps that’s what makes hindsight so intriguing. When you’re young the future is a blank canvas, but looking back you are always able to see the big picture.

    Lemme add to this – I don’t think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little and you got that pretty well through this awesomely amazing post truly.

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    1. Oh, my gosh!!!!!! You share perspectives that i am yet to wrestle into view, but when you share, the lights come and and I see….you have such a secure grasp on the bigger picture perspective…and, secondly, your concluding comment has me speechless….The fact that you would use the quote, “words are sacred…if you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little…” has me humbled and touched. Thank you for your kindness… 🙂

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    2. Neal, respectfully. without ‘writers’ there would be no words. There are good writers and there are not so good writers. There are good words and there are bad words. When you get a good writer writing good words, I think you’ll agree that’s an awesome combination.
      I have to agree though that Truly has managed this very successfully! 🙂

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    1. Thank you….and, I’m so glad you visited Kat’s blog…I stumbled upon the Dec 27/16 post and was sooooo glad I did…this is how wonderful connections engender wonderful connections….I trust she will visit your blog and she will be blessed indeed…. 🙂

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  4. What a wonderful New Year message. I like many hope that 2017 will do 2016 proud. I hope that you have a fabulous year and look forward to the thoughts coming from your corner of the world. Have a good one my friend. x

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  6. Well said. Life is often taken for granted while complacent attitudes blame everyone (except themselves) for the misgivings in life they experience. Self reflection is a worthwhile investment of time. It can make the difference between experiencing a life of quality or a life of misery.

    Thank you for sharing this important message. I believe it possesses the power to help people re-evaluate their VALUES in life while guiding them toward a path of greater fulfillment.

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  7. Very thoughtful Truly! No matter how big the adversity is, within or without, it is our attitude towards them, that makes/ breaks us or the year! I hope this year is much more positive and enriching. Thank you for your wonderful offering Truly! 🙂 🙂

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  8. Thank you for this post. It’s funny how popular consensus is to look back at the past year as awful, but you are right — time is arbitrary. Attitude and perspective is everything, and I CHOOSE to look back at 2016 as a wonderful year cause…we made it! Hopefully we will find more reasons to be thankful in 2017…but in the meantime, Happy New Year and blessings to you in the upcoming year! ❤

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  11. I would never have thought of writing a letter to the New Year from the Old Year. What a great idea! It is a very balanced view and one that I share with you Truly. And in some ways it echoes some of the things I wrote in a post called ‘Time’. It’s funny to see your thoughts reflected by someone else and that is so validating. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

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    1. I find that the beauty of certain connections is the fact that we have common perspectives that we express in our own ways…and, it is especially exciting when we see shades of each other’s writings in our own….I value our connection so very much…you are a loyal encourager and I love what you share. You are irreplaceable 🙂

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      1. Truly, you too are irreplaceable – and thank you so much for that very kind comment. And yes, so exciting to see our writing duplicated elsewhere – it makes you realise that we are all very much the same, despite cultural, racial differences etc. We are all human at the end of the day, and that’s what makes us unique and yet the same. 🙂

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  12. I like your letter written from the perspective of the year itself. What a unique angle to take. Of course, that should not surprise me as it came from you 🙂 . You make me ponder. How do we judge a year? Is it good if we like what happened to us during the year? Or, perhaps our criteria is what we learned or how much closer we grew toward our God-given purpose. Is it as appropriate to say Happy Old Year as it is to say Happy New Year?

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    1. I really appreciate your thoughtful natureI: think we can thank the old year for what we gained, and look toward the new year with high hopes–given our determination to grow ever closer to God 🙂 And, thank you for your loyal and kind support 🙂

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