Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Decade!!!

Well, I'm back in Venice after a gorgeous holiday inside the Snow Globe of Minnesota. This picture pretty well sums up the vibe of the entire trip:

The beauty and special silence of snow falling. The joy and fun of kids at Christmas. The comfort of the roots of home. The pure celebration!

I saw many old friends, and made some new ones. I ate all the traditional fare, and drank my share. I sang Carols, and told and heard stories. I wasn't as cold as I thought I would be (until the very last day). I stomped through the crunching snow in the most beautiful nature of my youth. I regrouped with the people who have known me the longest, and soaked up the strength that comes with that. I appreciated every single second.

And now I'm back in Venice, with brand new appreciation again as we stand at the top of the high dive about to plunge into a new decade. The 00's were tough, I thought, both personally and as a world. I've likened them to hanging on to a ski hill tow rope, the pull shredding apart your mittens and digging into your flesh, but still you hang on with all your might. You know the top of the hill is coming, even if you can't see it perfectly yet through the blowing wind.

We had LOW lows (9/11. Katrina. Wars. Bush.) and HIGH highs (electing President Obama. Miracles big, small, public and personal), but even Time Magazine summed them up on their cover as "The Decade From Hell".


I don't know if I'd go that far, but I would agree that the next one will be better. It has to be. Hopefully we've learned a lot from the gnarly past ten years, and will work together henceforth ... for peace, a safe and healthy climate, kindness, intelligence, love and fun. I think we can do it. No, I KNOW we can do it.

I just came across the following poem from Garrison Keillor's "77 Love Sonnets" and would like to share this lovely toast with you as we clink our glasses and kiss to welcome 2010 tonight ...

Another year gone and the old man with the scythe
Is mowing closer. He hasn't been subtle, has he.
Too many good people gone, and I could sit and cry
For them - except that you look exceptionally snazzy
And sexy despite the miles on your odometer,

As if you have a few more aces up your sleeve.
Maybe you were born under a lucky comet or
Maybe it's just the delirium of New Year's Eve.
I gaze in your face and take your hand - you're
Positively glowing. Maybe we've been sorry a
Long enough time and now we get some grandeur
And do our dance and sing our aria.
May the New Year bring us before it has flown
All we would have wished for had we only known.

Happy New Year!! Happy New Decade! Love, Light & JOY to us all!!! CHEERS!

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