A Blanket Of Beginnings

It is hard to believe that this past year has come and gone already. I suppose it is due to my age that it seems the year has flown by all too quickly. When in the world did I get to be in my fifties?  If you are older than me then you probably are chuckling right now thinking I am a spring chicken. Anyway, this year had of course, its share of ups and downs, which I am not about to share or bore you with. We all have had them. What I find amazing is that as I was thinking on an upcoming year I couldn't help but wonder if it would mean more of the same kinds of problems...physically, emotionally, financially...on and on they go. I thought what is the use of even starting another year if it is going to be just like the last one? OK...some of you reading this are probably criticizing me right about now or judging my despair.... but if some of you are honest with yourselves you probably thought the same thing deep down.. just didn't voice it. Anyway, it is unusual for us here in northern Wisconsin to not have a lot of snow but this winter has been really skimpy on the white stuff. On the very first day of our new year... I opened my door to a blanket of freshly fallen snow. All of the ugly dead brown grass was covered with white. The individual flakes were softly drifting out of the sky. It was as if the snow was waiting for New Years day just to make its appearance. All of the events of this past year are gone forever.... it is a new year...all covered with a fresh blanket of snow. Hope. Expectation. Renewal. Peace. A blanket of beginnings.