Farewell, Old Year. Adios. Arrivederci.

I'm not so fond of the endings of things (unless it's a project I've been dying to get done or, say, some remodeling. Now there's something I'd LOVE to see the end of). But I do get excited about fresh beginnings. I love the beginning of a week, the beginning of a month. There's nothing like the beginning of a relationship of any kind. I like the beginning of a book, a crossword puzzle---you name it. Beginnings are fun.

And it satisfies something in me when the beginning of something starts on the first: the first day of the week or the month. So, in this case, I'm especially liking that a fresh new year is going to begin on the first day of the week. It's the best way to start: at the beginning. The first day of the week, the first week of a new year. And it's going to be a good year.

Looking back over this past year, it seems in hindsight to have been a fairly unremarkable year for me personally. Remarkable things happened in this year---life-changing things happened in this year---but mostly to other people. People that I know and people that I don't. And I'm fine with a year like that. Small bumps, nothing major. Fun times, laughter, memories, vacations, and getting older a second at a time.

This coming year is a secret still, a lovely surprise that will unfold just at the right pace: one day at a time. This year, our oldest child will turn sixteen. Hard to believe. He'll be driving on his own, growing up even more, becoming more independent and a little further from us, his parents. And that's as it should be, but it's sometimes hard and a little scary to see him spreading his wings and knowing that soon he'll be flying away. But I don't want to hold him back! I won't!

So this year my boys will be getting older, smarter, more grown-up and filling in the spaces of themselves. Hopefully I'll fill in some of my own gaps---the places where I've needed to grow and change and improve.

This year will bring other changes, too, I'm sure. I want to face them all with courage and grace and good humor.

I wish the same for everyone.

Happy New Year!