What is in a year anyway?

“Good riddance, 2020.” “I cannot wait for this year to be over.”

There are 1,003 ways to send this year to the history books. I’ve seen every one of them. Between you and me, each one makes me wince.

Certainly, this is not to say there haven’t been tremendous challenges over the last year.

Um, pandemic, party of 7.8 billion?

And all that has gone with it. Losing loved ones, losing businesses, losing jobs. Canceled weddings, forgotten funerals. The list is long.

And yet,

I pause.

The famous Charles Dickens quote came to mind, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,”

The entire quote?

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Does that not say it all? I know you can easily fill in examples of each of those phrases.

I can’t close the book on this year without acknowledging the season of light and wisdom, the gifts that it brought.

The quiet.

The nowhere I had to be because there was nowhere I could be.

The bonus time with adult children who will never again live under same roof.

The wisdom of blessings. I don’t want any of that to go away.

New seasons are on their way, knowing nothing of the construct of our human made calendar.

They will bring their own joys and challenges, just as seasons before COVID-19 began.

It’s just too simple to dump the challenges of the last several months on one calendar year.

And, I’ll admit, I’m a tad superstitious. Is it not a bit cocky to suggest we get to decide when we close the book on challenges?

I can hear my late father’s voice when he would tire of my crying over something. “Stop your crying or I’ll really give you something to cry about.”

Granted, that line is not exactly up to the evolved parenting standards of today.

But you have to admit it has some logical thinking in it.

Do we honestly think wrapping a bow, slamming the door on a calendar year is going to end all bad things?

I’m thinking a better response to the end of this year would be a big exhale, a compassionate pat on the back. We made it. We limped across the finish line.

I know one thing for sure, as we go into the New Year, whatever it brings, I need, I want to go through it with you.

You in?

Bring it.

Your challenges.

Your joys.

Your funnies.

Knowing that I can do this with you means, 2021, I got this, whatever the year, days, hours bring my way.

Happy New All of it, Dear Reader. With you, anything is possible.